We do not have the massive trees seen up north. Most of our trees are second or third generation having been logged to rebuild San Francisco after the 1906 earth quake. Take a hike up Nicene Marks Park and look at the stumps of the huge trees that were cut down, also notice how they re-sprout around the base to form a small clump of 4-5 trees. People call these "Fairy Rings".
When young, the lateral branches are mostly upright but with age they become more horizontal. There is a tremendous variation of growth rates, size and crown appearance from seed grown plants. Non selected trees, ie not a cultivar, can be extremely variable as seen in this image, they can be full, open with long upright arching laterals or just plain ... plain.
The foliage exists as two types, though most people only see the type in the first 2 images. The leaves of them more common type are linear, 3/4 to 1" long, bright green upper surface, lighter green on the lower. There is evidence of stomatal bands on lower surface. The tips sharply pointed. The leaves appear to be opposite on the twigs but are radially arranged, the leaves bending to form a flattened plane. They are retained on the twigs for 3-4 years and fall with the young twigs, remaining on the twig on the ground.
Reproductive structures are small, greenish borne in the early spring. Males turn orangish yellow with pollen,
Females are green, with long bracts also at the ends of the branches.
For being such a big tree, they sure have small cones. Cones are reddish brown, oval shaped, 3/4" to 1" long. The scales are peltate (attached in the middle of the back) and look like the old wax lips we used to get at the candy store, the ones with the liquid in them.
The bark and trunks of the sequoia are truly amazing. Huge comes to mind. Full of life. The trunks are able to withstand fire and as we all know they are resistant to fungi for the most part. The bark is thick, fibrous, dark brown to cinnamon red. Pretty deeply furrowed with a lighter color on the top of the furrow.
If you go into Nicene Marks you will see old stumps with holes in them. They are the springboard notches that were axed into the trunks so the loggers could put in a board and then cut the tree above the widely faired base.
Redwoods can develop a large burl at the base of the tree that contains tons of vegetative buds. You may not always see them, on some trees they are more obvious than on others.
Below is an image of the shoots coming from that burl that lack any chlorophyll so are totally white. They are called the Ghost Trees. This tree is located in SF Strybing Arboretum.
Commonly seen in our area include 'Soquel' which seems to have a poorly developed leader but never fails to grow strongly upright.
Okay, here is one you can have in your yard, from the SF Bonsai Club during the SF Garden Show.
Here is another from a later show. I focused on the trunk and base to show how to make the look really old.
Otherwise you may end up with these two from the Pruning Hall of Shame.
Walk a pure stand of redwood and admire the density of the canopy and the lack of most any other plants.
When young, the lateral branches are mostly upright but with age they become more horizontal. There is a tremendous variation of growth rates, size and crown appearance from seed grown plants. Non selected trees, ie not a cultivar, can be extremely variable as seen in this image, they can be full, open with long upright arching laterals or just plain ... plain.
This group of trees in located in the development behind Aptos Park on the road to Nicene Marks. Look how they dwarf all other trees and the 2 story condos. (Think again before planting one in your yard, especially under the telephone wires)
The foliage exists as two types, though most people only see the type in the first 2 images. The leaves of them more common type are linear, 3/4 to 1" long, bright green upper surface, lighter green on the lower. There is evidence of stomatal bands on lower surface. The tips sharply pointed. The leaves appear to be opposite on the twigs but are radially arranged, the leaves bending to form a flattened plane. They are retained on the twigs for 3-4 years and fall with the young twigs, remaining on the twig on the ground.
This is the other foliage type, is more awl-shaped (1/2") looking very much like the leaves on the Giant Sequoia. These are only found at the tips of older plants, and you may only see them after a storm.
Reproductive structures are small, greenish borne in the early spring. Males turn orangish yellow with pollen,
Females are green, with long bracts also at the ends of the branches.
For being such a big tree, they sure have small cones. Cones are reddish brown, oval shaped, 3/4" to 1" long. The scales are peltate (attached in the middle of the back) and look like the old wax lips we used to get at the candy store, the ones with the liquid in them.
The bark and trunks of the sequoia are truly amazing. Huge comes to mind. Full of life. The trunks are able to withstand fire and as we all know they are resistant to fungi for the most part. The bark is thick, fibrous, dark brown to cinnamon red. Pretty deeply furrowed with a lighter color on the top of the furrow.
If you go into Nicene Marks you will see old stumps with holes in them. They are the springboard notches that were axed into the trunks so the loggers could put in a board and then cut the tree above the widely faired base.
Redwoods can develop a large burl at the base of the tree that contains tons of vegetative buds. You may not always see them, on some trees they are more obvious than on others.
Below is an image of the shoots coming from that burl that lack any chlorophyll so are totally white. They are called the Ghost Trees. This tree is located in SF Strybing Arboretum.
Most of the trees planted over the last 40 or so years are cutting grown and are named cultivars. There are a number of common cultivars, most of them released by the old Saratoga Horticultural Foundation. They were selected off of highway 17 in Campbell.
Commonly seen in our area include 'Soquel' which seems to have a poorly developed leader but never fails to grow strongly upright.
'Aptos Blue'
Can't resist showing this blue cultivar 'Woodside' in a friends yard. Notice how blue it is compared to the native ones behind. Its the blue tree in the center behind an very formal blue fir tree.
This one is much more rare in the landscape, 'Loma Prieta Spire' seen on Old San Jose highway just past Anna Jean Cummings park in Soquel.
Redwoods are not a good choice for normal residential lots. But if you must be sure you understand the issues. When they fall or parts of them fall you will not like the results.
The new freeway planting along highway 1 and highway 17 is planted with a mixture of commonly used cultivars and a collection made by two California native plant experts from "exceptional" trees in our local area. (see the article)
Okay, here is one you can have in your yard, from the SF Bonsai Club during the SF Garden Show.
Here is another from a later show. I focused on the trunk and base to show how to make the look really old.
Otherwise you may end up with these two from the Pruning Hall of Shame.
Then there is always this…. growing through 2 levels of decks.
The name Sequoia is Cherokee and means "possum" and was a common name for half-breed. The tree was named in honor of a man named Sequoiah, the son of a European trader and a Cherokee woman. He developed the Cherokee symbols for their language. (Arthur Lee Jacobson, North American Trees).
Misidentification: Not likely, look for the cones and the leaves falling as units.
Locations; Everywhere
Misidentification: Not likely, look for the cones and the leaves falling as units.
Locations; Everywhere
If you want to see this and the Giant Sequoia side by side have a look at the intersection of Polo Dr. Lyon Dr, just east of the RDM overpass as it passes Soquel Dr. (You can also see Picea abies just one door up and across the street.)
