The tallest tree in Australia is Centurion, a Mountain Ash (Eucalyptus regnans) in Tasmania, standing over 100 meters tall (around 100.5m or 330ft), making it the world's tallest flowering plant and hardwood tree. This remarkable Eucalyptus regnans specimen holds records as the tallest in the Southern Hemisphere and is a prime example of Australia's giant eucalyptus species, which are among the world's tallest trees.
Centurion is the name given to a single Eucalyptus regnans tree growing in Southern Tasmania, Australia. The tree was first measured by climber-deployed tapeline at 99.6 metres (327 ft) tall in 2008, and was subsequently re-measured to be 100.5 metres (330 ft) tall by ground laser in 2018.
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks boast many of the world's largest trees by volume. The General Sherman Tree is the largest in the world at 52,508 cubic feet (1,487 cubic meters). The General Grant Tree is the second largest at 46,608 cubic feet (1,320 cubic meters).
The world's tallest known flowering plant and the tallest tree in the Southern Hemisphere is a Eucalyptus regnans growing here in Southern Tasmania. It's been named Centurion in honour of the ancient Roman officers who commanded groups of a hundred soldiers.
sequoia Belair National Park. Sequoiadendron giganteum (giant sequoia) in Belair National Park, South Australia. Circumference: 4.98 metres. Height: 41.0 metres.
The rule states every house, school and workplace should have a view of at least three trees, be in a neighbourhood with at least 30% canopy cover, and be within 300 metres of a park.
Coast redwoods produce small, rounded cones that grow on the tips of their branches. These cones measure less than an inch long—easy to overlook among fallen needles. Giant sequoia cones, on the other hand, are the size of a chicken egg. Both cone types turn from green to russet brown as they mature.
For driveways in Australia, the best trees offer narrow, upright growth (like Pencil Pines, Ginkgo biloba 'Lemonlime Spire', or Lilly Pilly) for tight spaces, seasonal colour (Ornamental Pears, Maples, Crepe Myrtles) for a grand entrance, or native options (Waterhousia, Hakea, Agonis) for local appeal, focusing on non-invasive roots and low maintenance for a beautiful, lasting impression.
The tallest tree currently living is a specimen of Sequoia sempervirens in Redwood National Park in California, USA. Nicknamed Hyperion, the coast redwood was discovered by Chris Atkins and Michael Taylor (both USA) on 25 August 2006 and its precise location is kept a closely guarded secret to try and protect it.
The largest rainforest in Australia, the Daintree Rainforest is over 1,200 square kilometres and is home to many animal and plant species not found anywhere else in the world. The Daintree Rainforest is a popular Day Trip destination from Cairns and Port Douglas.
The Great Basin Bristlecone Pine (Pinus longaeva) has been deemed the oldest tree in existence, reaching an age of over 5,000 years old. The bristlecone pine's success in living a long life can be attributed to the harsh conditions it lives in.
Five notable big trees include the General Sherman Tree (largest by volume), the Hyperion (tallest, a Coast Redwood), the Stagg Tree (another massive Giant Sequoia), the towering Australian Mountain Ash, and the ancient, wide-girth Kauri trees, showcasing giants in height, volume, and girth, often from the Redwood, Sequoia, and Eucalyptus families.
While coast redwoods are the tallest trees by height, giant Sequoia are the largest trees in the world measured by volume. They can reach heights of between 50-85 m (165-280 ft) and between 6-8 m (18-24 ft) in diameter.
Australian boabs can grow up to 15 metres tall at maturity and have swollen, attention-grabbing trunks called a caudex, which may be up to five metres in diameter. The African boab species, A. digitata, can be much taller, at 25 metres high and with a diameter of up to 15 metres.
Growing at altitudes up to 5,000 metres (16,400ft), just below the Andes glaciers, the gangly but hardy polylepis is believed to be the planet's highest-altitude tree, growing in the highest-altitude forest. The polylepis forest covers the high Andes mountain range linking Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.
Old Tjikko is an approximately 9,568-year-old Norway spruce, located in the Dalarna province in Sweden. Old Tjikko originally gained fame as the "world's oldest tree". Old Tjikko is, however, a clonal tree that has regenerated new trunks, branches and roots over millennia rather than an individual tree of great age.
Estimated Age: Scientists can't pinpoint Pando's exact age, yet evidence suggests its original aspen seed sprouted several thousand years ago. It may even date as far back as 14,000 years ago, when the Fish Lake Valley was emerging from the last glacial maximum.
Hyperion, a coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) located in California's Redwood National Park, holds the title of the world's tallest known living tree. In 2019, it was measured at a staggering 380.8 feet (116.07 meters) tall!
Poplars are fast growers. Their roots need moisture and will invade any leaky pipe they can find. Depending on the variety, they can grow 50 to 150 feet tall but are brittle and tend to drop limbs and branches. Never plant them near your house.
Fast Growing Native Australian Trees
Avoid planting species with aggressive root systems, such as camphor laurels, figs, and willows, as they can damage pipes, driveways, and even building foundations.
Giant sequoias are a pioneer species, and are having difficulty reproducing in their original habitat (and very rarely reproduce in cultivation) due to the seeds only being able to grow successfully in full sun and in mineral-rich soils, free from competing vegetation.
giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron)
Giant sequoias thrive in higher elevation habitats than giant redwoods and grow naturally only along the western slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, primarily between 5,000 and 7,000 feet in elevation. Giant sequoias require the periodic dry heat of the mountains in order for their cones to open and release seeds.