Sequoia sempervirens
Occurrence: Along most of the California coast (except southern California, where there is insufficient rainfall) and the southwestern corner of the Oregon coast.
Life span of the trees: 1200-2000 years old
Height: It is the tallest tree in the world at 116 m tall with a diameter of 5.5 m. Name of the tree: Hyperion
More detailed information about redwoods
Optimum soil: it grows mostly on soils derived from sandstone, which formed thousands of years ago under the seabed. It is also found on soils formed from limestone, shale. The coast redwoods is not found on soils with high magnesium and sodium content.
Root system: The roots are very shallow, often only 1.5 to 2 m deep. However, they compensate for this by the width of the root system, with roots sometimes extending up to 30 m from the trunk. They thrive best in groves, where the roots can intermingle and even connect with each other. This gives them tremendous strength against the forces of nature. In this way, they can withstand strong winds and flash floods.
Growth: high growth rates are characteristic in places where there is plenty of full sunlight. In the first year of the tree's life, growth of up to 45 cm is possible. For the first 10 years, growth of 0.6-1.8 m per year is possible. Redwoods can grow to a height of 30 or 45 m in 50 years. The tallest redwood (Hyperion) is 116m. The interesting thing is that it is still growing. The tree is taller than the building of the National Bank of Slovakia (NBS), which is 112m high.
Wood: The Sequoia sempervirens, otherwise known as "Redwood", is named for its reddish colour of the bark and heartwood. The high tannin content of the wood gives the tree remarkable resistance to fungi, disease and insect infestation, which is why redwood lumber is so desirable. The timber is also highly preferred because of its dimensional stability. Redwoods are also highly resistant to water-related decay, making it a desirable wood for exterior siding, outdoor decks. The hard and fibrous bark is used as insulation, mulch and fuel.
Bark: Redwoods bark is soft and fibrous, ranging in colour from reddish brown to grey. On mature trees it can grow up to 60 centimetres thick. The thick bark protects the tree from damage that could be caused by fire. Until the widespread use of fiberglass and other materials, redwood bark was popular as an insulating material during its heyday, a large industry developed to process redwood bark for a variety of purposes.
Leaves: coast redwood trees have two types of leaves. The top of the tree has smaller, more compact leaves. These leaves are exposed to more sunlight and wind than the leaves that grow lower on the tree. They lose moisture more quickly. Their reduced size means less surface area from which water can evaporate.
Leaves growing lower on the tree are flatter and more branched. The leaf arrangement is spiral, but the larger leaves that are in shade are twisted so that they lie in a flat plane to maximise light interception.
Are you interested in redwood?
You will be able to buy Sequoias in our e-shop ("Coast redwood seedlings"). All redwood seedlings will be grown from seeds that come from the more northern parts of California, making them more frost tolerant.
Video documents
Document describing the logging of redwood forests in the 1940s
A documentary about a man who is trying to reforest the former native forests of the coast redwood
Author of scientific publications describes what it's like to climb the world's tallest trees
Sources
- https://www.monumentaltrees.com/en/trees/coastredwood/tallest_tree_in_the_world/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sequoia_sempervirens
- https://sunnyfortuna.com/explore/redwoods_and_water.htm
- https://sunnyfortuna.com/explore/redwoods_facts_02.htm