Sierra Redwood / Giant Sequoia by Xiao Zen 2013/08/22 13:00
Sierra Redwood
Kingdom: Plantae
Family: Cupressaceae
Species: Sequoiadendron giganteum
Conservation Status: Endangered
Giant sequoias are the worlds single largest tree species, growing to an average maximum height of 160-280 ft and about 26 ft across. The oldest Sequoia is 3500 years old and stands at about 311 ft. That's twice the height of Statue of Liberty (from her feet to the torch) and 52 times my own height (from my feet to my head, carrying around a torch would be too much of a schlep).
The Redwood is an evergreen (remains green all year round) and has awl shaped leaves about a quarter of an inch long, forming a spiral around the shoot. The seeds are found in cones that grow to 2 and 3/4 inches. These cones typically take 18-20 months to mature although they may take as much as 20 years.
A mature Redwood disperses an estimated 300 000 - 400 000 seeds annually, although most of these will not survive to full maturity. This is because Redwoods need rich soil in area with little or no plantlife to compete with and full sunlight, which isn't easy to find in a forest full of trees the size of skyscrapers. Because of this they do really well after fires have cleared part of the forest, they've even evolved to release they lions share of their seeds during and after fires. Giant Redwoods are native to Sierra Nevada, California USA.
Europeans first discovered the Sequoia in the 1800's but the tree had been known to the local Indian tribes for long before then as the "Wawona" or "Heamiwithic" tree. The largest of these trees have even been given personal names: General Sherman (in the Giant forest), Genesis (in the Mountain home grove), President (in the Giant forest), General Grant (in General Grant grove) Monroe (in the Giant forest) and King Arthur (in Garfield grove).
The woods from these trees is brittle and usually shatters in the fall from such a height when cut down so the Redwood has little commercial value other than for tourism. John Muir, one of the first wave of tourists in the 1800's that came to see the Sequoia's wrote this short poems about them:
"Do behold the King in his glory, King Sequoia! Behold! Behold! seems all I can say. Some time ago I left all for Sequoia and have been and am at his feet, fasting and praying for light, for is he not the greatest light in the woods, in the world? Where are such columns of sunshine, tangible, accessible, terrestrialized?" - John Muir (1870).
Sierra Redwood
Kingdom: Plantae
Family: Cupressaceae
Species: Sequoiadendron giganteum
Conservation Status: Endangered
Giant sequoias are the worlds single largest tree species, growing to an average maximum height of 160-280 ft and about 26 ft across. The oldest Sequoia is 3500 years old and stands at about 311 ft. That's twice the height of Statue of Liberty (from her feet to the torch) and 52 times my own height (from my feet to my head, carrying around a torch would be too much of a schlep).
The Redwood is an evergreen (remains green all year round) and has awl shaped leaves about a quarter of an inch long, forming a spiral around the shoot. The seeds are found in cones that grow to 2 and 3/4 inches. These cones typically take 18-20 months to mature although they may take as much as 20 years.
A mature Redwood disperses an estimated 300 000 - 400 000 seeds annually, although most of these will not survive to full maturity. This is because Redwoods need rich soil in area with little or no plantlife to compete with and full sunlight, which isn't easy to find in a forest full of trees the size of skyscrapers. Because of this they do really well after fires have cleared part of the forest, they've even evolved to release they lions share of their seeds during and after fires. Giant Redwoods are native to Sierra Nevada, California USA.
Europeans first discovered the Sequoia in the 1800's but the tree had been known to the local Indian tribes for long before then as the "Wawona" or "Heamiwithic" tree. The largest of these trees have even been given personal names: General Sherman (in the Giant forest), Genesis (in the Mountain home grove), President (in the Giant forest), General Grant (in General Grant grove) Monroe (in the Giant forest) and King Arthur (in Garfield grove).
The woods from these trees is brittle and usually shatters in the fall from such a height when cut down so the Redwood has little commercial value other than for tourism. John Muir, one of the first wave of tourists in the 1800's that came to see the Sequoia's wrote this short poems about them:
"Do behold the King in his glory, King Sequoia! Behold! Behold! seems all I can say. Some time ago I left all for Sequoia and have been and am at his feet, fasting and praying for light, for is he not the greatest light in the woods, in the world? Where are such columns of sunshine, tangible, accessible, terrestrialized?" - John Muir (1870).
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