Coast Redwood

Scientific Name: Sequoia sempervirens
Genus: Sequoia
Family: Taxodiaceae

IMG_0286 coast redwood IMG_0285 coast redwood
In its native habitat, this tree grows over 300 feet and attains a diameter of over 10 feet. There are two kinds of needles on the same tree: most branches have two flat rows of needles, but on the shoots higher in the tree the needle resemble those of the Giant Sequoia. This tree prefers the coastal regions of northern California and extreme southwestern Oregon, thriving in the fog and humid atmosphere during the summer. Its thick bark offers protection against fire. The largest living Redwood is found in Humboldt State Park in California and is reported to be nearly 1,400 years old. Cones of this tree measure about 3/4 inch.