Description

California is home to several trees described with superlatives. Our state is home to the oldest (Great Basin bristlecone pine, Pinus longaeva), and tallest (coast redwood, Sequoia sempervirens) tree in the world. The giant sequoia is the most massive of all trees. To see a grove of them towering above their neighbors truly takes the breath away. The trunk trunk tapers very little on the bottom third of the tree, giving them a columnar appearance. The bark is red-orange and furrowed. Young trees are very conical in shape but after many years open up and become more rounded at the top. Unlike the coast redwood, the giant sequoia does not rely on fog for summer water. They derive moisture from nearby water sources in their southern Sierra range. There the summers are quite hot while the winters are cold and wet. The giant sequoia is said to be quite hardy when planted out of its native range. Care must be taken to provide adequate moisture to meet its substantial need. Of course, it takes a unique site to accommodate this giant. Consider it a possible alternative to the coast redwood.