Californian coastal redwoods are well known for being the tallest trees in the world, able to exceed more than 100m in height – but what’s the tallest tree in the UK?
What’s the tallest tree in the UK?
Trees grow at different rates, but the UK’s tallest tree is currently believed to be the Stronardron Douglas fir in Argyll, Scotland – which was planted in 1849. It measured at 63.79m in 2009 – and it’s thought to be still growing
Several other Douglas firs and grand firs in the UK stand taller than 60m. Both species are native to western North America and were introduced to the UK in the 19th century. Douglas firs were brought to the UK by famous botanist David Douglas – hence their name.
What are the UK’s tallest native trees?
Our loftiest native trees are ash and common lime. Large specimens of both can be seen at Duncombe Park, Yorkshire notably a 46m lime and a 45m ash. The heights of other Uk champion trees can be found online at the Tree Register
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The 84m-tall General Sherman in Sequoia National Park, probably the world’s largest tree in terms of volume (about 1,500m°), is at least 2,300 years old. The world’s tallest tree, though, is a coastal redwood, the 116m Hyperion in Redwood National Park, California.
Douglas firs grow to 100m tall, so it is likely that the UK record will be broken in the future.
However, though firs – like redwoods – grow relatively quickly, the world’s tallest individuals are 500-700 years old. The climate in the UK is less equitable than in California; storms are more frequent, with et winds, so it is unlikely that a tree here could live long enough to match the heights of the Californian specimens.
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