Allen Russell (tree) facts for kids

The Allen Russell is a truly enormous tree! It's a giant sequoia, which are some of the biggest trees on Earth. This amazing tree is found in Balch County Park in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, USA. It's the largest tree in that park! The Allen Russell is also part of a special group of sequoias called the Mountain Home Grove. It's considered one of the largest giant sequoias in the world, often ranking around the 32nd or 33rd biggest. Its exact rank can change a little because of how other giant sequoias might have been affected by wildfires.

History of the Allen Russell Tree

The Allen Russell tree was first measured in 1985. Two people, Wendell Flint, who was known for finding big trees, and Mike Law, a photographer, carefully measured it. They figured out that it was the 34th largest tree in the world by its total wood volume. They also confirmed it was the biggest tree in Balch Park.

Today, the tree is usually ranked as the 33rd largest. In 1990, the local government of Tulare County officially named the tree "Allen Russell." This was done to honor Allen I. Russell. He was the park ranger for Balch County Park for many years, from 1961 to 1990. The tree was named after him to thank him for his long service to the park.

How Big is the Allen Russell Tree?

When Wendell Flint and Mike Law measured the Allen Russell tree, they recorded its impressive size. These measurements help us understand just how huge this giant sequoia is. The numbers below show its dimensions. The total volume measurement doesn't include any parts of the tree that might have been burned.