Tree - Ascent Of Sap

It is vitally important for a tree to transport water from the soil to its upper-most leaves. This process has long fascinated plant physiologists, and has been studied for centuries. How does water move from the roots to the uppermost leaves of tall trees? The significance of this problem is best appreciated by considering the height of some of the world's tallest trees. The world's tallest tree was a Eucalyptus regnans of Australia, which was measured at 470 ft (143 m) in 1880. The tallest living tree is a coastal redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) of California, which is about 365 ft (111.3 m) in height. Its relative, the giant sequoia (Sequoidendron giganteum), is not quite as tall, but is the world's most massive tree species.