Skip to main content

Giant Sequoia


The Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) is also known as the Giant Redwood, Sierra Redwood, and Wellingtonia. During the Jurassic Period (135 to 180 million years ago) and Cretaceous Periods (35 to 70 million years ago) Giant Sequoias were the dominant tree in Europe and North America. Today Giant Sequoias grow wild only on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. This area is characterized by dry summers and snowy winters and deep soil moisture. Giant Sequoia is related to the Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) and the Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides).


Giant Sequoias are amongst the world’s largest trees. Trees have been measured at 311 ft. in height and 56 ft. in width. The oldest known Giant Sequoia was estimated to be 3,500 years old by counting its rings.


Giant Sequoia is propagated from seeds produced in cones. Young trees start to produce cones when 12 years or older. Young trees are tall and conically shaped with an almost ideal Christmas tree shape. Giant Sequoia’s make a nice living Christmas tree that can be planted out in the yard and decorated during future holiday seasons.


The leaves of the Giant Sequoia are evergreen and scale-like, so it may be useful as a screen or visual barrier.

 
If you're looking for something different to add to your landscape and water is not limiting, try the Giant Sequoia!

Giant Sequoia requires regular water for growth and are not a xeric tree. Given regular water it can add 1’ – 1.5’ in height annually. The Giant Sequoia is best grown in full or part sun, with regular water. It is hardy to USDA zone 5.

Contact Trees That Please Nursery for availability and pricing.

Photos & Narrative By:
Stephen Sain
Staff Plant Physiologist

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Weed Identification: Goatheads or Stickers

Goatheads ( Tribulus terrestris ) are native to Southern Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. Goatheads are also called stickers, sticker weed, bullhead, devil’s weed, and puncturevine. Goatheads are easily recognized by their prostrate growth form, leaves with leaflets, yellow flowers, and stickers (Goatheads). If you miss’em visually then they will stab you painfully in the fingers as you work your garden, or stick to your clothing and shoes. Goatheads are the primary reason local bicyclists must get “thorn proof” tires for riding on area trails and streets. Goatheads have prostrate stems that radiate outward from one central point. Leaves are compound with smaller leaflets. Lemon yellow flowers form along the stems and fertilized flowers form fruits.   Fruits consist of several attached structures called nutlets (Goatheads). Each nutlet is a single seed that becomes hard or woody when mature. Each seed has two sharp spines that easily pene...
1 comment
Read more

Weed Identification: Sand Bur

Sand Bur ( Cenchrus longispinus ) is native to North America. It has other names like sand spur, long-spined sand bur, hedgehog grass, and bur grass . Sand Bur is an annual grass usually growing with a prostrate growth form. It is similar in appearance to other grasses prior to seed formation. Individual plants may be 3’ in diameter, sometimes larger. Sand Bur is a common weed of sandy soils but also grows well elsewhere. Sand Bur will often root at stem nodes that are touching the ground. The root system of Sand Bur is shallow and fibrous making them easily pulled (when immature). Sand Bur produces a flowering spike. As seeds begin to form Sand Bur is easily recognized by its numerous sharp or burred seeds or long spines. As the burred seeds mature they are easily separated from the mother plant and their sharp spines stick to virtually anything. Sand Bur can disseminate its seeds long distances because its sharp spines will hitch a ride on skin, anim...
5 comments
Read more

All About the Shantung Maple!

             The Shantung Maple ( Acer truncatum ) is also known as the Purple Blow Maple due to the color of its newly emerging leaves which are red-purple (see photo below). These young expanding red-purple leaves change to green as they mature. Leaves are small, about the size of Japanese Red Maple leaves, perhaps 3’-4’ wide at maturity.    The Shantung Maple grows 1′-2′ annually reaching 25″ tall and wide.    This is our tree for all planting situations. This Maple does well in heavy clay, sandy soils, full sun, or part shade. It can be planted in a lawn or next to a hot asphalt street (see photo below). It seemingly is a happy tree enjoying life wherever it is placed.    One place we would not recommend planting this tree is in a rockscape which is just too hot and inhospitable to support this beautiful tree.               A smaller tree, the Shantung Ma...
Post a Comment
Read more