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California's "Redwood" Trees:
Giant Sequoia and Coast Redwood


 
 

There are three members of the redwood family: coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens)
of the California coastal fog belt, giant sequoias (Sequoiadendron giganteum) of the
Sierra Nevada, and dawn redwoods (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) of central
China. The names sequoia and redwood are often used interchangeably, leading to
confusion between the two California
members of this family -- but they are very
different trees.

Almost all remaining giant sequoias are
now safe from the axe and saw; about one-thirdwere cut before being protected.
Oldgrowth coast redwood continues to be cut for lumber today, with only a small part of
its original uncut acreage still remaining. Ofthe estimated 1,950,000 acres of coast redwood originally occurring in California, only about 4.4%, or 86,000 acres of old growth, remain. About 80,000 acres of this old growth is protected in parks and reserves.

Coast Redwood Facts

     Located on the Pacific Coast from central California to southern Oregon
     Live up to 2,000 years
     Weigh up to 1.6 million pounds (730,000 kilograms)
     Grow up to 367 feet (111.2 meters) tall
     Diameter up to 22 feet (6.7 meters)
     Bark thickness up to 12 inches (30 centimeters)
     Foliage is single, non-overlapping needles 1/2 to 1 inch long
     Reproduction by seed or sprout
     Tallest tree located in Redwood National and State Parks

Giant Sequoia Facts

     Located in the Sierra Nevada from 5,000 to 8,000 feet elevation
     Live up to 3,200 years
     Weigh up to 2.7 million pounds (1.2 million kilograms)
     Grow to 311 feet (94.2 meters) tall
     Diameter up to 41 feet (12.4 meters)
     Bark thickness up to 31 inches (79 centimeters)
     Foliage is small, overlapping, awl-shaped needles 1/4 to 1/2-inch long
     Reproduction by seed only
     Largest tree by volume is General Sherman, located in Sequoia National Park
 
 
 
 
 

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Courtesy of  Redwood National and State Parks   http://www.nps.gov/redw/sequoias.htm