For those who LOVE TREES (4/4) Taking a photo of the General Sherman is a must!!! General Sherman is the name of a Giant Sequoia. It is the largest tree in the world, and generally considered the largest organism, as measured by the volume of its trunk (1487 cubic meters as of 2002). The tree is located in the Giant Forest of Sequoia National Park in the United States, east of Visalia, California. The tree is believed to be approximately 2200 years old Out of a tree like this you can make approx. 15 billion match sticks!!! LOL !!! Estimated age: 2200 years Height Above Base: 274.9 ft Maximum Diameter at Base: 30.5 ft Height of First Large Branch: 130 ft Diameter of Largest Branch: 6.5 ft Volume of Trunk: 52,500 cubic feet Trees are special and for many people adorable!!. It doesn’t matter, It can be a small tree, a big or very tall one. Being around in this area, where I took this photo, makes you humble!! To see those trees again was one of the reasons we returned , after 10 years, to this area for a vacation. Walking alongside those Giant Trees, makes you feel like a Gnome or Troll in a different world!!! Thanks for your time, and for all your very kind comments to my recent uploads!! Have a very nice day Henk The giant sequoia, found in Sequoia and Kings Canyon, is also called "Sierra redwood" and the "Big Tree." Its scientific name is Sequoiadendron giganteum. It has a columnlike trunk, stout branches, and fibrous, reddish-brown bark. This stately evergreen is one of the oldest living trees on earth (only the bristlecone and the alerce are older). Because of ideal growing conditions (mild, wet winters and dry, warm summers), it is one of the fastest-growing trees, eventually reaching 270 feet or more in height. The ropy bark of the sequoia, sometimes two feet thick, is the tree's main defense. Its dense coat is virtually impervious to brush fires and insect invasions. Giant sequoias grow naturally only on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada. You'll find them in 75 separate locations, including 30 groves in Sequoia and Kings Canyon and 3 in Yosemite. Sequoia National Forest and a few other isolated spots also have sequoias. Of the world's 37 largest sequoia trees, 20 are giant sequoias growing in Sequoia and Kings Canyon.