Sequoia Trees – Sequoia National Park, California

Why is it a fantastic tree?

Fantastic does not do the sequoia tree justice. These ancient sentinels are MAGNIFICENT. They grow to be several hundred feet and can live to be a few thousand years. The wooden mammoths draw worldwide crowds and make sprites of the people who wonder the forests. Despite their great height and long life, sequoias face a lot of obstacles. They are fire dependent in a world that needs to control fire, and they chronically stressed due to drought.

Quick facts about Sequoia Trees:

Evergreen and part of the Bald Cypress family.
Can live up to 3,000 years. The oldest is 3,500 years. The most notable, General Sherman is ~ 2,000 years old.
Sequoia trees can grow to be up to 250 feet. General Sherman, the tallest tree on earth is 275 feet.
Sequoias have a diameter of 30 feet.
Their wood is not desirable for building; however, in the early 20th century, they were still being cut down.
Sequoias require fire in order for seeds to open up.
Sequoias are fire resistant and fire helps them compete against other trees

Want more facts about Sequoia Trees? Here are some great resources