Of course my first thought, and question was, “Did you mean Redbud?” A Redbud is a lovely understory tree that does very well in Atlanta – both as a tree for wild habitat restoration, and as a street tree.
“No”, he responded. “They want to grow a giant Redwood tree, like the ones in California.” Well this seemed a pretty unlikely candidate to me. Even if you could grow such a tree here, would you want to? I thought I had better do some research before I responded. Here is what I found out.
Where do they grow in the wild?Unlike many North American trees such as Oak Quercus L. and Maple Acer L., of which one species or another grow natively in virtually every state, the two species we think of as Redwoods (both Redwood Sequoia sempervirens known as the California coast redwood, and Giant sequoia Sequoiadendron giganteum also known as the Sierra redwood) only grow in a very small region of the west coast.
S. sempervirens is found in a narrow band along the coast of Northern California and Southern Oregon, and S. giganteum grows only on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada in California.
© Photographer: Michael-john Wolfe Agency: Dreamstime.com
Does this mean that they can’t grow elsewhere?
Apparently not. According to the website of the American Park Network, which provides information about Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks, fossil remains indicated that these trees grew worldwide prior to the last ice age.
Welker's Grove Nursery in Auberry California is actively growing and shipping saplings all over the country. They recommend the Giant Sequoia especially as a good tree for privacy screens and windbreaks. In containers, they can be maintained at a manageable size, using bonsai techniques of root and branch pruning. However, the climate of North American is substantially different than it was 175 million years ago. To grow these trees successfully outside of their current native habitat will require some effort.
What do these plants need to thrive?
The Redwood forests in northern California thrive on the cool moist fog belt of the region. Giant Sequoia grow in a small region on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada range, which is constantly watered by mountain run-off, streams and springs. Both species require deep well drained soil and plenty of moisture. This means that in the Piedmont region of Georgia where I live, the clayey soil would require substantial amendment.
In addition to soil requirements, they are very susceptible to drought and drying from wind. Unlike many plants that prefer a good soaking followed by a chance to dry out, these require constant moist soil. On the other hand, they can not tolerate standing in water, or mud, so planting on a riverbank is not a good solution. In our region, it seems the only way to ensure adequate moisture will be with irrigation, and probably with its own separate zone and different watering schedule than you other plants.
If growing in a container, you should be aware that these trees can suck up all of the moisture in less than a day, and once the roots start to wither, you are sunk.
What to expect
Compared to our southern Longleaf pine Pinus palustris or Loblolly pine Pinus taeda with heights 120 and 100 feet respectively, the redwoods are giants. Giant Sequoia will grow to 200 feet at maturity with a 40 foot base. Redwood will reach 250 feet with a 22 foot base and is generally thought to be the tallest tree in the world. Specimens of both have been found in the wild that far exceed these dimensions. In addition, you can expect growth of 5 feet or more in height per year!
The Giant Sequoia is not as tall but more broad than the Redwood, and in terms of volume (height and girth), this is the largest living organism on earth.
In addition to providing several of the specimens on the world largest tree list (the largest living sequoia is 275 feet tall and 32 feet in diameter) these trees are also the longest lived. Some have been estimated at 2,000 to 3,000 years old.
What’s in a name?
Sequoia is named for a man with the same name (sometimes spelled Sequoyah) who was the son of a Britich merchant and a Cherokee woman and also the inventor of the Cherokee alphabet. Sempervirens is from the latin “semper” meaning always and “vivere” to live. Thus it means evergreen.
The Giant Sequoia’s scientific name of Sequoiadendron is derived from Sequoia and the Greek “dendron” meaning tree and giganteum meaning huge.
Think you would like to give these giants a try? Learn more about growing giant sequoias in your landscape and about growing them in containers.
19 comments:
I received this interesting note from Joe Welker at Welker's Grove Nursery just after publishing the article. If this doesn't encourage you to give it a try, nothing will...
Hi Kay,
Thank you for the note and the link to your blog. I read it with great interest. I can tell that you and I share a love for plants and nature.
You are welcome to use any of my writings. Keep in mind that most of my writings are the results of my own observations and not just a compilation of researched articles. I found early on that much of what is written about the giant sequoias with regards to their needs is not accurate. Because of my love for the species and my desire to see it flourish for all time I have endeavored to discover the truth and share it with the world. My discoveries are a work in progress. I am still making minor changes to some of my recommendations from time to time.
One of my observations is that gardeners in the west have better luck with the giant sequoias than do gardeners in the east. One might jump to the conclusion that the east is less hospitable to the species. I believe that to be false. The reason they do better in the west is because western gardeners have irrigation skills and eastern gardeners generally do not. Once your drought has ended there will still be times when the ground is too dry to sustain the giant sequoias. It takes some hand watering at least to get them established. The species is designed to live for 3000 years. When the young ones land in ground that will not sustain them for 3000 years they simply die. Once you get some age on them they will better endure droughts. They do not require more water than ordinary trees until they become huge. They do however require consistently moist soil when young.
I think all settings are appropriate for planting the giant sequoias. I would for instance not say to someone with a small yard that you cannot enjoy the world’s most awesome tree species because of the size of your yard. There are certainly as you suggest more appropriate locations than small yards. Parks, botanical gardens, and large landscape gardens are as you suggest a better location for seeing the big trees grow up to their potential.
The giant sequoias are native to the western slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. That is not because of the exposure but rather the conditions including deep rich soil and ample moisture that exist there in the relatively small areas where the groves are located. What slope you choose to plant them on is not a factor and neither is elevation.
Here in the Sierras we mix our existing clay topsoil with no more than 50% forest humus and add a balanced fertilizer. That will keep the soil loose and reduce the chances of the soil remaining waterlogged.
Thank you for considering putting in a good word for the giant sequoias in spite of the fact that they are not, according to definition, a native. You would have to go back about 35 million years to consider the Sequoiadendron a native to what is now the southeastern US. I think that any plant that makes you stand back and go “Wow” is well worth having in your garden as long as it is not an invasive species.
Thanks again,
Joe Welker
Welker's Grove Nursery
42170 Cedar Springs Road
Auberry, California 93602
www.giant-sequoia.com
(559) 855-3521
Surprisingly, the "giant sequoia" are not the largest living trees.
Only 6 giant sequioa trees are the largest. Then, the 7 largest tree in the world is a coast redwood, which has a diameter at chest level even wider than General Sherman.
For landscape plantings, the giant sequoia are my favorites to plant.
The seem to grow well in several climates. I've lived in areas ranging from 19 inches of rain per year to 40 inches of rain per year, and seen the giant sequoia stand strong.
M. D. Vaden of Oregon
Beaverton / Portland
The header on your website shows some amazing examples of the Coast Redwood. Also some giant ferns! What type are they?
I stumbled across your article and had to chuckle. It was a "deja vu" moment! I grew up in Atlanta and worked in a popular local nursery during the 70s and 80s and developed a fascination with exotic and/or famous trees from around the world. I experimented with growing exotic species on our property in Sandy Springs, and was successful with many varieties (although growth rates often suffered). In the early 90s I was living in California and fell in love with the "famous 3" American trees: Redwood, Sequoia, and Bristlecone Pine. By then, my parents and grandparents were living on St. Simons Island, Ga. In 1993 I brought one of each home to my mother. After planting, the Sequoia only lasted about a year, but 17 years later, the Redwood and Bristlecone are still there. We transplanted the bristlecone into an outdoor container, so it's basically a Bonsai. The Redwood; however, is quite a conversation piece in her backyard. For the first 12 years it stayed healthy, but did not grow much... but it has "exploded" in the last 5 years, adding about 5 ft in diameter and 12 ft in height. It is now approximately 20 ft tall. The explosion of growth probably had something to do with clearing out many of the taller trees that had been crowding it during the early years. Like I said, it's quite a conversation piece for my mother, especially since she's the local garden club president.
Thanks for the article.
Yes, you can grow Redwoods in Atlanta. There is ~50 years old redwood tree growing on Marry Ln in Atlanta (Toco Hils area)
Good to know Tony. I'll have to run over that way and snap a picture.
I got one I bought in a test tube at Disney about five years ago. It is about ten feet tall. I started it in a pot and transferred. We do irrigate in summer. I live off ponce de leon in poncey highlands. I got a second one growing in a pot out back that I got last year. In a 1000 years I am hoping to have a nice stand. Maybe its the springs underground. George from Atlanta Georgia.
George that is too funny. Wonder who will be writing about plants in 1000 years to see your forest! Thanks for posting.
My mother has a 150-year-old Redwood growing in her front yard in Abbeville, SC. We are trying to determine if it is the oldest (and tallest) on the East Coast; it is definitely the oldest and tallest in South Carolina. Do you have any suggestions on how we could find out?
Dear Anonymous - I would contact the Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org/. They have a tree measuring program and maintain a database of the oldest, largest & tallest trees in the East. Good luck
Coast redwoods will grow in the Atlanta area. I had twenty or so growing in my last home. However, they are subject to die back from last frosts and, as a result, can take a long time to reach a respectable height.
Giant Sequoias will not grow in the Atlanta area because they are subject to a fungal disease that routinely kills them in our area. Planting certain cultivars in very well-drained soils and religiously applying fungicide to the needles will delay the inevitable for a few years, but the fungi eventually triumph.
I just read the post by Tony above about a Redwood Tree in the Toco Hills area of Atlanta. Well that tree is mine and it is in my front yard! Yes, it is a confirmed Redwood Tree and it stands about 100 ft tall as of 2013. I'd like to know why you think that it is 50 years old, Tony? I think that it is only about 35 years old. I have known the tree for about 20 years and it was about 50 ft tall when I first saw it. The biggest reason that the tree is succeeding here is because it is in a low area where the soil keeps moist between rains. That is the key! I hope that you enjoy my tree and I want to find a place for another one. These trees do the best with some space away from other trees and constant moisture.
I just bought several redwood saplings on a recent visit to California and will be taking them back to the southeast with me. would love to see the tree growing in toco hills. what street is it on?
According to Tony's post above, it's on Marry Lane in the Toco Hills neighborhood.
thanks Kay! I found it on Google street view. It is a great looking tree! I gave one of the seedlings to my dad tonight. He loved it and was really excited about growing it. Hopefully it will live here!
So many incorrect things in this article, written by someone who obviously knows about as much as the rest of us, and got her info from internet searches.
1) The Giant Sequoia is not the largest living thing. The largest living organism is a single gigantic specimen of honey mushroom (Armillaria ostoyae), discovered in the Malheur National Forest, Oregon, USA, which occupies a total area of 965 hectares (2,385 acres), equivalent to 1,350 soccer fields. Its age is calculated to be at least 2,400 years old, but may be as much as 8,650 years old. It also holds the record for the world's largest fungus. The honey mushroom is estimated to weigh somewhere between 7,500 and 35,000 US tons (6,800–31,750 tonnes).
The largest living tree weighs 13 million pounds, has been around since at least the last Ice Age. This is the Pando Aspen Grove in south-central Utah, which consists of 47,000 aspens that are actually the same tree — clones of a single root system. Some scientists peg Pando’s age at 80,000 years or more, although Rogers says “it’s unlikely it is older than the last Ice Age,” which was about 14,000 years ago. The 47,000-plus trees in the grove are spread out over 106 acres — the equivalent of 90 football fields, or half-a-dozen City Creek Centers.
2) "Unlike many plants thatprefer a good soaking followed by a chance to dry out, these require constant moist soil". Also untrue. Both the coast redwood and GS have adapted to withstand periods of drought. The GS goes for most of the summer months without much rain at all. Both trees survive better with drying out periods.
3) While it is true that these trees were wide spread millions of years ago, the "175 million years ago" is not accurate. "Researchers have turned up fossils of Sequoia, the genus of which the coast redwood is the sole surviving member, from Texas to Pennsylvania, Colorado to Canada, and Greenland to Alaska. Fossil records suggest that Sequoia species reached their maximum distribution around 30 million years ago, during a greenhouse period when the climate was warmer, more temperate, and wetter than today." The tree's range was also much wider until the more recent ice ages.
4) Soil in Georgia is generally not an issue. Rich soil is preferred of course, but the trees are hardy, and will thrive with adequate water and temperatures. There are numerous sequoia trees being grown all over the state, with no help at all. The CR is more heat tolerant, and the GS is more cold tolerant. The CR likely won't survive in zone 6 or less.
5) These trees will not grow to full height if planted without competition. Like any tree, trees planted in the open will expend their energy growing outward as well as upward. There is no advantage to growing tall when you have lots of light around you. These trees should be planted in a grove...3 is better than 1, and 10 is better than 3. If you desire height, the optimum place to plant a sequoia is in a small open area in a forest, which simulates the open area left after a sequoia falls. The young tree will fight to reach the light over head. You can accelerate vertical growth by pruning lower branches in the late winter.
I live in Clarksville, GA (home of a lot of surviving large/old White Hemlocks) I have on a 4 acre property on the Soque River and discovered thanks to a Botany Professor from University of North Georgia that did some his PhD work on our property that I have a Redwood. It was covered with Kudzu and since of have cleared it of the Kudzu it has grown from 15 to 25 ft in a little over a year after I purchased the property. The tree is in well drained yet moist hill side location and facing the moist foggy river basin. Should I plant more?....I definitely have space and where can I order them?
i am the owner of 72 TREE, SEED & LAND LLC, In Alpharetta, GA. & an ISA certified arborist.
www.72tree.com is our website. I experimented with the Giant Sequoia and have 2 growing for the last 10 years. Everyone i spoke to laughed at us & stated they would never make it.
WE formulated a special compound of growing medium that most lay people may have trouble understanding . We grew up in the Mississippi Delta near Stoneville MS where we met several
scientists back in the day many many years ago that worked at Stoneville Experiment Station USDA
[ crop rotation & bottomland hardwoods division ]. As a young child we toured & listened to the people who devoted their lives in education & experimentation. Ecological Restoration, Engineering, Forestry, Hydrology, Arboriculture, & education. Listen to your heart & take good notes in life.
I live in Dekalb and there is a Sequoia in my yard about 35y old and ~100 ft tall, growing fine with no assistance. When I bought the place I was told there were only 3 Sequoias in Ga but seems like there are far more just in ATL!
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