California Redwood

Redwood is the only naturally occurring hexaploid conifer. It is one of only a few vegetatively reproducing conifers (from stump sprouts) and possibly the tallest tree species known. Winter buds, though small, are evident.

Redwood, including Sequoia sempervirens and Sequoiadendron giganteum , is the state tree of California.

Trees to ca. 110 m; trunk to 9 m diam.; crown conic and monopodial when young, narrowed conic in age. Bark reddish brown, to ca. 35 cm thick, fibrous, ridged and furrowed. Branches downward sweeping to slightly ascending. Leaves 1--30 mm, generally with stomates on both surfaces, the free portion to 30 mm, those on leaders, ascending branchlets, and fertile shoots divergent to strongly appressed, short-lanceolate to deltate, those on horizontally spreading to drooping branchlets mostly linear to linear-lanceolate, divergent and in 2 ranks, with 2 prominent, white abaxial stomatal bands. Pollen cones nearly globose to ovoid, 2--5 mm, borne singly on short terminal or axillary stalks. Seed cones 1.3--3.5 cm. Seeds flattened, 3--6 mm, leathery. 2 n = 66.

Trees to 100(-110) m, suckering from base in native range; trunk buttressed at base, slightly tapered above, to 5 (-8) m d.b.h.; bark reddish brown or cinnamon colored, 15-25 cm thick, fibrous, exfoliating in broad, dark brown plates;

crown narrow; branches slender on young trees, finally stout, borne horizontally or basal ones deflexed. Leaves bright deep green adaxially, ca. 6 mm on main branchlets, 0.8-2 cm on lateral branchlets, midvein raised abaxially. Pollen cones ovoid, 1.5-2 mm; pollen yellow-green. Seed cones very small at pollination, maturing pale reddish brown, ovoid-elliptic or ovoid, 2-3.5 × 1.2-1.5 cm; cone scales shield-shaped, apically grooved, expanded into a rhomboid disc, occasionally with central mucro. Seeds pale brown, elliptic-oblong, ca. 1.5 mm; wing as wide as seed.

Calif., Oreg.

Coastal redwood forests; generally below 300 m, occasionally to 1000m.

Cultivated. Fujian, Guangxi, Jiangsu (Nanjing Shi), Jiangxi, Taiwan, Zhejiang (Hangzhou Shi) [native to W United States].

Taxodium sempervirens D. Don in Lambert, Descr. Pinus 2: 24. 1824

Taxodium sempervirens D. Don in Lambert, Descr. Pinus 2: [24]. 1824; Sequoia gigantea Endlicher (1847), not (Lindley) Decaisne (1854).