The Coast redwood or California coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) is one of three species of living gymnosperm trees known as redwoods and classified in the Family Cupressaceae. The Coast redwood is an evergreen, long-lived, monoecious tree — the tallest of trees living today, reaching up to 112 meters in height, and seven meters across at the base. The oldest Coast redwoood tree is about 2200 years old and many others in the wild exceed 600 years of age.


Coast redwood at Redwood National and State Parks

Trees over 60m (200 feet) are common, and many are over 90m (300 feet). In fact there are 15 known living trees more than 110 meters (361 feet) tall, and 47 that are more than 105 meters (344.5 feet) tall. In contrast the tallest non-redwood tree is a 100.3 meter (329 foot) tall Douglas-fir. The tallest known living redwood is 112 meters (367.5 feet) tall. However, a tree thought to be 115.8 meters (380 feet) was cut down in 1912.

Among current living trees only some giant sequoia (Sequoiadendrum giganteum) are larger. The largest living redwood has a volume of 1,037 cubic meters (36,621 cubic feet), compared to the largest sequoia with a volume of 1,487 cubic meters (52,513 cubic feet). But a redwood cut down in 1926 had an estimate volume of 1,794 cubic meters (63,354.5 cubic feet).

The Coast redwood root system is composed of deep, widespreading lateral roots with no taproot. The bark is up to 30cm (12 inches) thick and quite fibrous. This thick, high-tannin bark, combined with foliage that starts high above the ground provides good protection from both fire and insect damage, contributing to the Coast redwood's longevity.

Coast redwood reproduces both sexually and asexually. Seed production begins at 5 to 15 years of age, and large seed crops occur frequently, but viability of the seed is low. The winged seeds are small and light, averaging 265,000 seeds/kg (120,000 seeds per pound). The wings are not effective for wide dispersal, and seeds are dispersed by wind an average of only 60-120m (200 to 400 feet) from the parent tree. Redwoods can reproduce asexually by layering or sprouting from the root crown or stump. Sprouts orginate from dormant or adventitious buds at or under the surface of the bark. The sprouting capacity of redwoods decreases with size and age, and sprouting appears to be the greatest on the downhill side of the tree. Within a short period after sprouting each sprout will develop its own root system, with the dominant sprouts forming a ring of trees around the parent root crown. Sprouts can achieve heights of 2m (7 feet) in a single growing season.

Table of contents
1 Range and Ecology
2 External Links
3 References

Range and Ecology

The redwoods occupy a narrow strip of land approximately 725km (450 miles) in length and 8-55km (5 to 35 miles) in width along the Pacific coast. The northern boundary of its range is marked by two groves on the Chetco River in the Siskiyou Mountains within 25km (15 miles) of the California-Oregon border, and found mostly in the Jedediah Smith Redwood Forest. The southern boundary of the coast redwood's range is marked by a grove in Salmon Creek Canyon in the Santa Lucia Mountains of southern Monterey County, California.

This native area provides a unique environment with heavy seasonal rains (250cm/100 in annually), cool coastal air and fog keeping this forest contstanly damp year round. As this heavy rain has left the soil with few nutrients, these trees depend on the entire biotic community of the forest, and complete recycling of the trees when dead. Logging interrupts this process. This forest community includes Douglas fir, western hemlock, tanoak, madrone, and other trees along with a wide varieity of ferns, redwood sorrels, mosses and mushrooms. Redwood forests provide habitat for a variety of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Remnant old-growth redwood stands provide habitat for the federally threatened spotted owl and the California-endangered marbled murrelet.

Coast redwood is one of California's most valuable timber species. The wood is soft, weak, easily split, and very resistant to decay. The clear wood is used for dimension stock, siding, fencing, and shingles. Redwood burls are used in the production of table tops, veneers, and turned goods.

Closely-related trees include:

External Links

References

  • Reed F. Noss (editor), The Redwood Forest: history, ecology and conservation of the Coast Redwood (ISBN 1-55963-726-9)