Coast Redwood

Sequoia sempervirens

Digital Photograph of a Coastal Redwood taken in Woodstock Estate, Inistioge, County Kilkenny

Sequoia sempervirens

Digital Photograph of a Coastal Redwood taken in Woodstock Estate, Inistioge, County Kilkenny

Common Name: Coast Redwood, Redwood, California Redwood, Coastal Sequoia.

Description: Large evergreen tree with trunk much enlarged and buttressed at the base. The crown narrows with age and becomes irregular and open. The foliage is yew-like, each leave is 1-30mm in size. The cones take a year to mature each scale baring 2-5 seeds with two wings. The bark is a rich red brown, thick and fibrous.

Origin: The species occurs in a narrow coastal belt in SW Oregon and NW California between 300m and 1000M. The tree is generally found within 60 miles of the coast. It likes moist deep river soils. It occurs in pure stands but also with Douglas Fir and Lawson Cypress. Heavy rainfall and frequent fog are characteristic of its environment, often labelled 'Temperate Rainforest'.

Heights of over 100M are common, the tallest measured is 112.34M. It is usually labeled the tallest tree presently, although both Douglas Fir and Giant Eucalyptus – 'Mountain Ash' may have been taller in the past. This genus like its relative the Sierra Redwood was once more common.

This species was introduced into Europe in the 1840's. It is not as widespread as the Sierra Redwood, but grows well in Ireland due to our wet oceanic climate.

The largest specimens in Woodstock are 41m and 39.2m in height respectively, measured in 1999.