The largest living thing on Earth.

The General Sherman Tree stands as the ultimate example of the growth potential of a giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum).  Other types of trees are taller, or thicker at the base, but no other living thing on this planet exceeds the volume of this giant sequoia.  The General Sherman tree owes its immense size not to great age (many other sequoias are older) but rather to its very rapid growth rate.  For over two thousand years this tree has survided numerous fires, climatic change and even the coming of modern man.  Today it remains not only the world's largest living thing, but also one of the fastest growing.

estimated age estimated weight of trunk height above base circumference at ground maximum diameter at base diameter 20m above ground diameter 55m above ground diameter of largest branch height of first large branch  volume of trunk

2300-2700 years 1256 ton 83.3m 31.3m 11.1m 5.3m 4.3m 2.1m 39.6m 1486.6 m3