Plant growth is astonishing. Not only can plants live incredibly long (e.g., bristlecone pines), but they can also become quite large in a short lifetime. The tallest tree ever measured was a 435-foot eucalyptus in Australia. The current tallest tree is a coastal redwood that is over 379 feet tall. There is a giant sequoia tree (as seen above) named General Sherman in California. It is not the tallest, nor the widest, nor the oldest plant on Earth, but it does occupy more space than any other single organism. Its volume is estimated to be 52,508 cubic feet. That is equivalent to thirty, double-occupancy dorm rooms!
Plant growth differs from animal growth. Most plants follow a pattern of indeterminate growth, whereas most animals have determinate growth. Animals generally form all of their organs and then grow until they reach a certain size. Plants develop organs as they grow. They do not have a predetermined size, and they continue to grow as long as they live, although the rate of growth will change during their lifetime.