Taiwan's 'Sky Sword' Tree Stands Tallest in East Asia at 84.1 Meters

Scientists have identified what they believe to be the tallest known tree in East Asia, standing an impressive 84.1 meters tall in the mountains of Taiwan. Dubbed the 'Sky Sword of the Da'an River,' this giant belongs to the Taiwania cryptomerioides species, a type of cypress.

The discovery was made by a team led by Rebecca Chia-Chun Hsu from the Taiwan Forestry Research Institute. They documented the tree after a multi-year search in difficult-to-access terrain. The indigenous Rukai people poetically refer to these towering Taiwania trees as 'trees that meet the moon.'

Taiwan's unique geography, characterized by steep slopes and extensive old-growth forests, makes it one of the few places globally where trees can exceed 80 meters. Researchers utilized Lidar scans from aircraft, alongside ground expeditions, to map the forest. However, software estimations in the steep terrain required the help of hundreds of volunteers to verify the heights.

Reaching the record-holding tree involved a challenging 20-kilometer trek along a river route and steep ascents. Ultimately, climbers measured the tree from its crown to its base using a tape. The research team has so far identified ten Taiwania trees over 70 meters tall, including two exceeding 80 meters, in the region.