The Mendocino Tree

The Mendocino Tree in Ukiah, California has the distinction of being the United States tallest living tree. The tree is 367 feet 6 inches as of 1998. It is five stories higher than the Statue of Liberty. Mendocino Tree is a coastal Redwood or Sequoia Sempervirens. It is found in Montgomery State Reserve and is thought to be at least 1000 years old. In 1998 the tree was measured for both height and girth. Its diameter is 10 feet 4 inches. It was two years earlier that the tree was named the tallest tree in the USA.

Redwood trees are known for their ability to collect and drop water. This type of tree is an essential part of the ecosystem due to its ability. From fog it can gain quite a bit of water and drop 4 inches of rainfall in one night. Since this area is rather foggy the redwood has adapted to gaining water from its tall height rather than from the ground up. Most trees gain water from the ground and push it up to its top. The location of the tallest tree in the USA is somewhat of a secret since rangers want to continue to protect the ecosystem.