General Sherman
Dlážděný průřez
General Sherman je název sekvojovce obrovského v národním parku Sequoia. Se svou výškou 275 stop (83,8 m) je jedním z nejvyšších stromů světa a absolutní prvenství drží coby nejmomutnější organismus světa. Obvod jeho kmene měří 31,3. V roce 2002 byl objem kmene změřen na 1487 metrů krychlových. Odhadované stáří stromu je 2 300 až 2700 let. Nejvyšším stromem světa je Hyperion v Redwood National Park, vysoký 115 metrů.
Strom byl pojmenován po generálu Williamu Tecumsehu Shermanovi, vůdce v americké občanské válce. Autorem byl přírodovědec James Wolverton v roce 1879. Wolverton had served as a Lieutenant in the 9th Indiana Cavalry under Sherman. Additionally, the utopian socialist community Kaweah Colony, who settled nearby in the 1880s, named it after Karl Marx. The tree was identified as the largest in a 1931 dispute with the nearby General Grant tree, after which wood volume was the widely accepted determining factor.
In January of 2006 the largest branch on the tree, seen most commonly in older photos as an "L" or "golf club" shape protruding from about 1/4th down the trunk, broke off. No one was present for the incident, but the branch, which had a diameter of over 2 m (6 feet) and a length of over 30 m (100 feet), bigger than most trees, smashed part of the enclosing fence and cratered the walkway pavement surrounding the sequoia. This is not believed to be indicative of any abnormalities with General Sherman's health, and may even be a natural defense mechanism against adverse weather conditions. The branch loss did not change the General Sherman's status as the largest tree as its size has been calculated using measurements of trunk volume, excluding branches.
Horní část stromu je již mrtvá, takže strom již do výšky neroste. Stále ale narůstá objem jeho kmenu.
