Giant Sequoia (Sequoidendron giganteum)

One of three species of Redwood TreesCoast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides)

Taxonomy Kingdom – Plantae (Plants0 Phylum – Pinophyta(Conifer – needle bearing) Class – Pinopsida (Coniger – evergreen needle) Order – Pinales (cone bearing evergreens) Family – Cupressaceae (Cypress family- flat needles) Subfamily – Sequoioideae (Redwood subfamily) Genus Sequoiadendron (giant sequoia family) Species – S. giganteum

Description;Worlds largest single trees by volume.

Grow to an average height of 160-279 feet

They can be 20 to 26 feet in diameter.Record trees have been measured at 311

feet high and 56 feet in diameter.

Giant Sequoia outside visitor’s center at Sequoia National Park

The oldest known tree is 3,500 years old.

The bark is fibrous, furrowed, and may be 3 feet thick. It provides protection from fire.

The leaves are evergreen, awl-shaped, 3-6 mm long and arranged spirally on the stems.

The seed cones are 4-7 cm long (1.6 to 2.8 inches) and mature in 18-20 months.

They typically remain closed for years.

They reproduce by seed. A large tree can disperse up to 300,000 to 400,000 seeds/year.

Fire opens cones and allows for seeds to be rapidly dispersed.

They occur in scattered groves, with a total of 68 groves.

They like a humid climate with a dry summer and snowy winters.

They prefer to grow at altitudes of 5,660 to 7,050 feet

Because of fire suppression the trees are having a hard time reproducing and are

currently declining in numbers.

The tree is widely planted in Europe, NewZealand and western north america. It

has a harder time in the eastern united states.

60 year old trees in Germany

General Sherma

n – largest

by volume

General Grant –

2nd largest

tree

The Lincoln Tree- 4th largest

Bibliography En.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sequioadendron_giganteum www.fs.usda.gov.sdquoia.gov. Library.thinkquest.org/J002415 Eol.org/pages/323361/details www.arkive.org > Species > Plants and algae