The Tallest Tropical Tree in the World

The tallest tropical tree in the world was found in the rainforest of Sabah, a Malaysian state on the island of Borneo. This 330.7-foot (100.8-meter) Yellow Meranti Tree (Shorea faguetiana) in the Danum Valley of Sabah was the first 100-meter tropical tree to be discovered. The team, collaborating with SEARRP (South East Asia Rainforest Research Partnership), named the tree “Menara”, which means “tower” in Malay, due to its towering height.

This tree surpasses previous record holders, including another tree in Danum Valley estimated at 96.9m that was documented in May 2018 in Tawau Hills National Park, Sabah. This makes it unquestionably the world’s tallest tropical tree.

Did You Know?

• Menara is the world’s second tallest tree, trailing only Hyperion, a 115.92-Metre (380.3-Foot) Coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) in Redwood National Park, California, United States.
• Menara is the tallest known flowering tree (angiosperm) in the world, as well as the tallest tree on the Asian continent.
• The world’s tallest tropical tree measures more than a football field in Length. It is anticipated to weigh 81,500 kg, which is more than a Boeing 737-800’s maximum takeoff weight, excluding roots.
• When the five-winged fruits of the Yellow Meranti tree fall to the ground, they spin like a helicopter. This assists the seeds in dispersing further from the parent tree.
• On December 29, 2020, Pos Malaysia unveiled the world’s tallest tropical tree stamp series. The Miniature Sheet (MS) stamp is Pos Malaysia’s largest stamp ever, measuring 180mm x 35mm.

Sources:Wikipedia, Wikipedia, National Geographic, MySabah, SEARRP