Although Sequoiadendron giganteum is the biggest tree in the world when looking at the volume of the trunk, the tallest tree in the world is a specimen of the coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), a close relative of the giant sequoia.
Since their discovery in mid 19th century, giant sequoias have been planted as ornamental specimens everywhere around the world. Especially in western Europe, where the oldest ones (since 1852) are found, they grow vigourously: the tallest ones are already more then 54 m tall (177 ft) and the circumference of the thickest ones already exceeds 11 m (35 ft)