Personal photo taken near Prairie Creek State Park

Get a Natural High: The Redwoods

          Sequoia sempervirens, or the coast redwood, is the sole extant species of the genus Sequoia. The trunk of the coast redwood isPersonal photo of "Big Tree" covered in red, shredding bark and is usually about 3-5 meters (10-16 feet) wide. However, the diameter is able to reach 7 whole meters (22 feet). The bark grows up to 12 inches thick! The branches bear needle and awl shaped leaves. There are three different types of redwoods. Sequoia sempervirens is the tallest redwood, which can grow to a height of over 370 feet. The two pictures shown on this page are of "Big Tree" found in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park near Orick, California. This particular coast redwood is 304 feet tall and 21.5 feet in diameter. It is approximately 1,500 years old. Sequoiadendron giganteum, or the giant sequoia, is the largest tree in the world. The General Sherman tree in Sequoia National Park is the largest living organism on Earth, with a total volume of 50,000 cubic feet. The height of the giant sequoia only reaches up to 311 feet. In addition, compared to the coast redwood, the giant sequoia is able to live around 1,000 years longer. Metasequoia glyptostroboides, also known as the dawn redwood, was once thought to be extinct. However, in 1944, living trees of this species were found in China. This tree is easily differentiated from its California relatives by its smaller size and deciduous leaves.

Video: Sequ
oia sempiternus??? Nope, sorry! Sequoia sempervirens!!!

Personal photo: This is me standing under the redwood named "Big Tree."

Want to know about the different taxonomic levels of the coast redwood? If your answer is yes, continue to the next page! Classification

If you would like to learn about other organisms, visit http://MultipleOrganisms.net for a list of different species to choose from.