Sequoias
The "General Sherman" in Sequoia National Park is the world's largest known living thing. It was so named in 1879 by admirers of the Civil War general; the species Sequoia (aka Sequoiadendron giganteum) is named for the Cherokee chief Sequoyah, inventor of the Cherokee alphabet.
Current stats as reported by the US National Park Service:
height: 274.9' (83.8 meters)
base circumference: 102.6' (31.3 meters)
Other trees in the world are taller: the tallest tree in the world is the Coast Redwood, which averages 300' - 350' (91.4 - 106.7 meters) in height. A cypress near Oaxaca, Mexico has a greater circumference, 162' (49.4 meters), but in volume of wood, the Sherman has no equal. With 52,500 cubic feet (1486.6 cubic meters) of wood, this big boy quite easily earns the title of World's Largest Tree. What's more, the mighty creature is now estimated to be over 2300 years old, but according to specialists is far from the oldest of its kind, and to this day is still growing like a teenager!
GPS Coordinates:
N 36° 34.933 W 118° 45.145
Sequoia National Forest, CA