Giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron)

• Needles are scale-like with short, thick, sharp points.
  
  
  
• Cones are woody, egg-shaped, extremely hard, and 2-3" long.
  
  
  
• Bark is reddish-brown, stringy, and very thick.
  
  
  
  

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Giant sequoias are the largest trees ever to inhabit the earth, and are among the oldest. Heights of 300 feet and diameters of 30 feet are not uncommon. Their ages commonly range from 2,000 to 3,000 years (only bristlecone pines are older). Although once widespread, giant sequoias now occur only in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of central California. Since 1890, giant sequoias have been protected in Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia National Parks, as well as in smaller individual groves. There is only one species within this genus, Sequoiadendron giganteum; it has the same common name as its genus, giant sequoia.

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giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum)

• Needles: Needles are generally scale-like but have sharp tips. Blue-green in color.
• Fruit: Cones are woody, egg-shaped, extremely hard, and 2-3" long.
• Bark: Bark is thick, dark reddish-brown, and deeply furrowed. Trunks are greatly enlarged and buttressed at the base.
• Distribution: Grow in isolated groves scattered throughout the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains in central California. Trees are generally found at 4,900-8,200 ft. (1,500-2,500 m).
  

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interesting  

have you seen the sequoias in person? its quite an experience.  As a California resident I've seen Redwoods and Sequoias, both are quite a sight.  There are Sequoias wide enough at the base to drive through and a couple have been hollowed out to do exactly that.

Peter Rideout wrote: chamberry wrote: interesting     Do chamberries grow on trees? Apples do, but tea grows on bushes.

If one didn't pick the leaves of a Tea "bush" wouldn't it become a tree? What about Tea Tree Oil?


Edited by Snow Dog - May 31 2006 at 05:31

1 - Needles are scale-like with short, thick, sharp points.

2 - Cones are woody, egg-shaped, extremely hard, and 2-3" long.

3 - Bark is reddish-brown, stringy, and very thick.

Yes, that is indeed t'ree facts

Old joke coming up:

Patrick & Connor are walking through a forest, when they see a sign "Tree Fellers Wanted"... Patrick says to Connor "dat's a shame, dere's only two of us"

Boring but true:

Interesting (i am not sarcastic, have no reason)

Snow Dog wrote: crimson thing wrote: Boring but true: Tea - the drink - is made from the leaves of a camellia native to India & surrounding countries   Tea-tree oil comes from an entirely different Australian (or Australasian - can't be a++ed to look it up) shrub. Yes I knew this, but I was trying to be funny!

One fact not included: the seed of the giant sequoia is the second smallest seed in the world: it takes almost 30,000 seeds to make an ounce!  So it is a literal truism that from the smallest of seeds comes the largest of trees...

interesting...

I'm going to yosemite this summer so i'll get to see them up close.

I have no idea what this has to do with anything, however.