IN MANY RESPECTS the Coast Redwood and the Sierra
Redwood are similar, and in others they are dissimilar. In the following
brief tabular summary are indicated some of the similarities and some
of the differences that are to be noted.
NAME: Sequoia; Redwood; Big Trees.
COMMON CHARACTERISTICS: Evergreen; cone-bearing.
Reddish bark and reddish heartwood. Absence of resin cells and resin. Abundance of
tannin, a protective chemical.
DISTRIBUTION: Native only in western North America.
Cultivated successfully as ornamentals.
CONSERVATION: The United States Government, the State
of California, the Save-the-Redwoods League, and various other
organizations have done much to preserve the Redwood forests.
| Sequoia sempervirens |
Sequoia gigantea |
| DISCOVERY (leading to botanical description): |
| By Vancouver expedition, in Santa Cruz County, California, 1792 |
By Walker party, in Mariposa County, California, 1833 |
NAME: |
| Called "Palo Colorado" or Red Tree by Spanish-Americans |
Called "Wawona" or Big Tree by native Indians |
COMMON NAMES: |
| Sequoia; California Redwood; Coast Redwood; Redwood |
Sequoia; Mammoth Tree; Giant Sequoia; Sierra Redwood; Big Tree |
SPECIES NAME: |
| sempervirens—always living |
gigantea—giant |
NAME USED IN THIS BOOK: |
| Coast Redwood |
Sierra Redwood |
DISTRIBUTION: |
| California and southern Oregon |
In California only |
| Summer fog-belt area along Pacific Coast |
Western slope of Sierra Nevada |
| 500-mile range, Santa Lucia Mountains to southern Oregon |
250-mile range from Tulare County to Placer County, near Lake Tahoe |
| Sea level up to altitude of 3,000 feet |
Usually from 5,000 feet up to 8,000 feet altitude |
| Region of annual rainfall from 20 to 100 inches |
Region of annual rainfall from 18 to 60 inches |
| Warm, humid atmosphere |
Cool, dry atmosphere |
| Temperature range from 15° F to 100° F |
Temperature range from zero to 100° F |
REPRODUCTION AND GROWTH: |
| Cones, small, from 5/8-inch to 1-1/8 inches long; mature first season |
Cones, larger, 1-3/4 to 2-3/4 inches long; mature second season |
| Cone scales, from 14 to 24 in each cone. |
Cone scales, from 35 to 40 in each cone |
| Seeds, from 50 to 60 in each cone. |
Seeds, from 150 to 250 in each cone |
| Reproduction by seeds, and by root sprouts |
Reproduction by seeds only |
| Young trees moderately tolerant of shade |
Young trees not tolerant of shade |
| Growth rapid in long growing season |
Growth slower in short growing season |
| Pure stands often found |
Mixed stands generally found |
CULTIVATION: |
| Extensive use in reforestation |
Moderate use in reforestation |
| Extensive planting as ornamental in Hawaii, New Zealand, southern Europe, and warmer parts of North America |
Extensive planting as ornamental in Europe, Asia, and many parts of North America |
BARK, LEAF, AND ROOT CHARACTERS: |
| Dull red, richly colored bark. |
Reddish brown, duller bark |
| Bark shallowly fissured with small ridges |
Bark deeply furrowed with large ridges |
| Bark from 1/4-foot to 1 foot thick at base of trunks of large trees |
Bark from 1/2-foot to 2 feet thick at base of trunks of large trees |
| Leaves flat, needle-like resembling Hemlock or Fir |
Leaves small, scale-like, resembling leaves of Juniper or Cypress |
| Leaves linear, petioled, from 1/8-inch to 1-1/4 inches long, spreading in two flat ranks |
Leaves awl-shaped, sessile, 1/12 to 1/2-inch long, growing all around the stem |
| Root spread, from 40 to 50 feet from base of tree, at from 4 to 6 feet below surface of ground |
Root spread, from 100 to 150 feet from base of tree, at from 6 to 8 feet below surface of ground |
COMMERCIAL USES: |
| Wood tough, heavy, and strong |
Wood brittle, light, and weaker |
| Dry weight of wood, 26.2 lbs per cu. ft. |
Dry weight of wood, 18.2 lbs. per cu. ft. |
| First commercially lumbered in 1850 |
First commercially lumbered in 1890 |
| Wood has tendency to split lengthwise when tree is felled |
Wood has tendency to break crosswise when tree is felled |
| Waste in lumbering, from 25 to 50 per cent |
Waste in lumbering, from 45 to 50 per cent |
| Still lumbered, and produces most of the redwood lumber of commerce |
Almost no lumbering at the present time |
BURLS AND KNOTS: |
| Burls produced on roots and trunks |
Knots produced on roots and trunks |
| Burls cut from tree and placed in moist location will grow new foliage |
Knots cut from tree will not grow new foliage |
| Burls valuable for table tops, curios, etc. |
Knots have no commercial value |
SIZE AND AGE: |
| Average diameter of mature trees, from 12 to 16 feet |
Average diameter of mature trees, from 28 to 32 feet |
| Maximum base diameter, 22.8 feet |
Maximum base diameter, 40.3 feet |
| Height of many trees, from 300 to 350 feet |
Height of many trees, from 250 to 300 feet |
| Height of tallest known tree ("Founders' Tree"), 364 feet |
Height of tallest known tree ("California"), 310 feet |
| Maximum total volume of one tree, 361,366 board feet |
Maximum total volume of one tree, 600,120 board feet |
| Twenty-two 5-room bungalows could be built from lumber of one tree |
Forty 5-room bungalows could be built from lumber of one tree |
| Average age of mature trees, from 800 to 1,500 years |
Average age of mature trees, from 2,000 to 3,000 years |
| Maximum reported age, 2,000 years |
Maximum reported age, 4,000 years |
SAVING THE REDWOODS: |
| Many groves owned by individuals and lumber companies |
Few groves owned by individuals and lumber companies |
| One National Monument, several State, County, and City parks preserve stands of Coast Redwood |
Three National Parks, three National Forests, and one State Park preserve stands of Sierra Redwood |
