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It's only the largest - until someone finds an even bigger one. The largest plant or organism on earth was once thought to have been Pando (aka the Trembling Giant) - a clonal colony of an individual male quaking aspen in Utah. But then an even larger organism was found lurking beneath the forest in Oregon - a fungus so large that it was dubbed the "humongous fungus."
But now a new "largest plant" has been discovered. This time, it's a seagrass just off the coast of Australia in Shark Bay in Western Australia. Shark Bay is remote but is worth seeing for anyone who has the time to explore the Western Australian coastline. It is a place where people can see dolphins, dugongs, the world's largest plant, and much more.
The Largest Plant Is A Seagrass In Western Australia
The new plant has only just been discovered with the paper only being published in The Royal Society Publishing on 1 June 2022. As a result of genetic testing, scientists have been able to determine that a large underwater meadow of seagrass is in fact one plant.
It is also old, really old. It is thought to have germinated from a single seed around 4,500 years ago - about the time the Pyramids of Giza were being built. This would make it much younger than Utah's Pando Aspen which is thought to be up to 80,000 years old or "since the end of the last ice age."
It would make it as old as some of the oldest non-cloning trees. The age of the seagrass was estimated from the species' known growth rate. They normally grow like a lawn at a rate of up to 35cm (13.7in) a year.
- Age: Up To 4,500 Years Old
- Size: 200 sq km (77 sq miles)
- Location: Shark Bay - 800 km or 500 miles North Of Perth
- Length: Extends Over 180 km or 112 miles
- Growth Rate: 35cm (13.7in) Annually
This massive underwater seagrass covers around 200 sq km (77 sq miles) - or three times more than Manhattan. The seagrass, also known as ribbon weed, is a common sight along with parts of Australia's vast coastline.
The scientists had aimed to discover how many plants made up the seagrass meadow, but instead, they found it was just one plant that had extended over 180 kilometers or 112 miles. Imagine a plant that's over 100 miles long.
The plant is certainly hardy. It has colonized parks of Shark Bay with wildly variable conditions. It lives in places with a wide range of temperatures as well as salinities.
Visiting The World's Largest Plant
"...Shark Bay, with its islands and the land surrounding it, has three exceptional natural features: its vast sea-grass beds, which are the largest (4,800 km2) and richest in the world..."
In addition to its seagrass beds, Shark Bay is also home to a rich marine life that includes a large population of dugongs and is a refuge for a number of other threatened species. It is also prized for its stromatolites - these are colonies of algae that are some of the oldest forms of life on earth.
- Refuge: Shark Bay Is Home To Five Species of Endangered Mammals
The seagrass is located in Western Australia's World Heritage-listed Shark Bay. This is a very remote place to reach being around 500 miles from the major city of Perth. But if travelers really want to see it (or explore the vast and remote Western Australian coastline, visitors can easily drive there from Perth).
Tours Of Shark Bay & Activities
For those who venture out this far, there are plenty of tours to keep one busy. It is an outdoor playground bursting with some of Australia's best attractions. Tours range from flightseeing to 4x4 Driving, and diving. Take a meet the Monkey Mia dolphins tour and see the world’s largest dugong population on a half-day cruise.
The dolphins can be seen from the Monkey Mia Beach. Just head there during feeding times and see the friendly pod of bottlenose dolphins as they swim to the shore to interact with humans up to three times a day. The best time is in the mornings and feeding times are between 7.45 am and 12 noon.
- Best Time: Between 7.45 am and 12.00 noon
Plan one's trip to Shark Bay with the dedicated website listing the full range of tours, attractions, and activities in Shark Bay.