Find a tall stick. That and one good eye are all the tools you’ll need. With the stick in hand, walk exactly 11 paces from the base of the tree and mark the spot by driving the stick into the ground.

How tall can a tree grow? Does sunlight or water limit the size and photosynthetic capacity of a leaf? Could constraints on leaf growth really determine the height of a tree? These are all questions ...

Larger leaves favor photosynthetic production of a sugar-rich fluid to nourish the tree, but if the tree is too tall, the nutrient flow is slowed. Why are the leaves on the tallest trees all about the ...