x In the forest Q.79: How high can trees grow? The mechanical or elastic properties of trees determine whether or not a tree trunk will buckle under its own weight, and whether or not a branch will bend or break under a load. Thus, stiffness and strength are properties determined by the elasticity of the structure. Consider some facts concerning trees: (i) In relation to its density, wood is stiffer and stronger, both in bending and twist- ing, than concrete, cast iron, aluminum alloy, or steel; (ii) trees are frugal in their use of resources for growth; (iii) they “use” the “principle of minimum weight”; this self-explanatory principle means that because every material used to stiffen or support a structure also adds to the total load the structure must bear, adding height (i.e., as in growth) must involve a trade-off between the strength of a structure and its weight (as noted in chapter 3, this is why King Kong and giant ants will not take over the world, for they cannot exist). This also explains, in part, at least, why the Earth’s tallest, most massive, and longest living organisms are trees. Thus, the largest living animal, the blue whale, rarely exceeds 110 feet in length and 180 tons in weight, whereas giant sequoias (Sequoiadendron giganteum!) have grown to heights of over 310 feet (94 meters) with girths ofas much as 100 feet (30 meters). California’s General Sherman sequoia is over 270 feet high and estimated to weigh at least 2500 tons. The very tallest trees are the coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens), though their girth is considerably smaller than that of sequoias. Some of the oldest trees are more than 2000 years old, the oldest bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva) being perhaps more than 4700 years of age! If left undisturbed, trees will stand for many decades after their death. What follows then, is a discussion based on purely mechanical ideas; it will be limited, therefore, by ignoring one (if not the) major aspect of tree growth, namely that trees are limited by the height to which nutrient-rich water can be drawn by the tree (via transpiration). However, we shall content ourselves