A young giant sequoia sprouting out of an old log in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, California, USA

© Hutch Axilrod/Getty Image

The sprout with amazing potential. Giant sequoia sprout

With a little love and support, this little sprout in the US state of California has a big future ahead of it. It has the potential to, one day, be the tallest tree on the planet, or at least close to it. Its ‘big brother’ is a coast redwood tree nicknamed Hyperion, which currently holds the record at 380ft (116m). They’re giant sequoias, aka giant redwood trees. They often grow north of 300ft (91m) and can live for thousands of years. They’re heroes of nature, affecting the weather and climate, while housing and protecting other plants and animals.

But this little sprout’s potential is at risk, because the giant sequoia is an endangered species. Fewer than 80,000 of them remain. Trees are vital to the health of our planet. Why not do a little to make the future a better place, and take a moment to nurture or plant a new tree today?