Franklin Tree

The eighth largest giant sequoia in the world went unrecognised until the 1950s, and the likely reason was the neighbour. The Franklin Tree stands near the much larger Washington Tree, and a trunk nearly 29 metres round the base could apparently pass as supporting cast beside it. It was the dendrologist Wendell Flint who measured it properly, during his campaign in the 1950s, and who named it for Benjamin Franklin. So the name arrived late, attached to a tree that had been standing in plain sight for a very long time. The years since have added an irony. The Washington Tree had its crown cut down by a lightning fire and then lost half its height to a snow load in 2005, and now ranks around 55th. The Franklin Tree, at about 68 metres tall, still ranks eighth. The tree that hid it is now far down the list, and it is the one that was overlooked that holds its place. It grows above 1,800 metres in the Giant Forest grove. The pin is approximate, so expect to look for it near the Washington Tree rather than walk straight to it. Nobody has published an age. If you know one, tell us.