We had the opportunity to visit the Giant Sequoias recently on our family vacation. We had been to the Redwoods a few years ago with the kids, and since then we have wanted to see the Giant Sequoias.  The Redwoods are the tallest trees on earth, but the Sequoias are the largest by volume.

Seeing the General Sherman sequoia tree was a highlight of the trip.  It is the largest living tree on the planet! We learned that the growth these sequoias put on in 1 year is similar to the size of a mature oak here in the Midwest.  It’s really hard to comprehend that until you are standing in a forest of these giants! Here are some facts about General Sherman:

• Trunk Diameter 36.5′
• Height 275′
• Diameter of Largest Branch 6.8′
• Volume of Tree 52,500 cu ft
• Species: Sequoiadendron giganteum
• Age estimated at over 1600 years old

We took a great hike through the Giant Forest at Sequoia National Park where 20 of the largest trees on the planet reside.  It was an amazing sight to see!  Some other highlights of our trip were Yosemite & Kings Canyon National Parks.  

We hope you have the opportunity to see these amazing trees sometime. We definitely recommend taking the time for a visit.  You are also welcome to visit our trees here at the nursery, where we can boast the largest caliper of 4″ – not quite the same but for the Midwest it’s a start!