Giant sequoia: world's largest tree 'grows in Britain'

Giant sequoia trees, the world's largest trees, are thriving in the UK and now outnumber those found in their native California.

These giants were first introduced to Britain around 160 years ago, but new research suggests they are growing at a similar rate to their American counterparts.

There are an estimated 500,000 trees in the UK, compared to 80,000 in California.

But they are still not very tall. In California it can reach a height of 90 meters, while in the UK the tallest one is 54.87 meters.

But that's because the introduced trees are still very young.Giant sequoias have a lifespan of more than 2,000 years, so there's still plenty of time before trees in the UK catch up.

“Half a million trees was something that people didn't really know about until now, but when you start looking for trees in the landscape and start compiling these datasets, you realize just how many trees there are. I get it,” said one of the researchers, Dr. Phil Wilkes. The authors of this study collected their samples from Kew Botanic Gardens in Wakehurst, Sussex.

giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) It was first brought to Britain by the Victorians. These were the ultimate botanical status symbol and were usually planted on the vast estates of wealthy people.

Today, some companies form broad boulevards, while others stand alone with one or two companies. But finding them is easy. A dense conical crown stands proudly above everything around it.

To assess how these towering giants have adapted to their UK habitats, scientists have collected around 5,000 trees to study at Wakehurst, Benmore Botanic Gardens in Scotland and Havering Country Park in Essex. I chose a sample of wood.

They used a laser scanner to measure the height and volume of some of the trees. This is also a way to weigh trees without cutting them down.

Researchers found that these trees were growing at about the same rate as their native giant sequoias in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The UK's climate seems to suit them, Dr Wilkes says.

“Where they grow in California is cooler and wetter than California is commonly imagined,” he explained.

“And the climate here is pretty similar. It's very humid and needs moisture to grow.”

Scientists also investigated how much carbon dioxide trees absorb. Trees absorb and store greenhouse gases, and planting more trees could help tackle climate change.

Researchers have found that giant sequoia trees can trap large amounts of carbon dioxide within their trees, although not as much as American sequoias due to their enormous size.

The Wakehurst trees are about 45 meters high and store about 10 to 15 tonnes of carbon, Dr Wilkes explained.

“But if you compare this to California's largest trees, which store about 250 tons of carbon, they're pretty small. But you know, these can be just as big.”

Scientists involved in the study are quick to point out that planting giant sequoias alone is not enough to significantly reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. However, these majestic giants can play a role in mixed forest plantations with a variety of other trees, both native and imported.

In California, natural wonders are under threat from climate change. It is not coping well with hot, dry weather and increasingly intense wildfires.

So could Britain be their new home?

Professor Matt Disney, of University College London, says he thinks that's more than possible for the tree-lined avenue, which was originally planted as a grand entrance to the now-demolished mansion in Havering Country Park.

“From a climate standpoint, they're probably going to live a life with less pressure here than in California,” he said.

Although he noted that the situation in the UK is changing as the climate changes.

Giant sequoias are planted as seedlings throughout the country, many of which are planted by local governments in parks and recreation areas.

Professor Disney says they have a long life ahead of them, and they won't stay small for long.

“It grows very fast and grows very large. When it reaches around 60 meters in height, it becomes the tallest tree in the UK and continues to grow,” he said.

However, while trees are growing well in the UK, there is little chance they will take over our native woodlands any time soon. It is not bred here because it requires very specific conditions to obtain seeds.