Sequoias

Giant Sequoias

Did you know that the giant sequoias are the largest living things on earth, in the past or present, based upon their volume? That means they are BIG trees! They grow to about 300 feet tall and 30 feet wide in diameter. (Redwood trees are the tallest and bristlecone pines are the oldest.)

The bark of the giant sequoia grows from one foot to 18 inches thick. It contains tannic acid which protects them against fires, fungus, and insects. Luckily for these trees they make poor quality lumber. This saved them from all being cut down.

These huge trees have amazingly small cones that contain their seeds. It is hard to believe that such small seeds grow into these enormous trees:

Here is a giant sequoia seed in the palm of my hand. They are SMALL!

The cones of a giant sequoia will not open to release its seeds until there is a lot of water available. The cones contain a chemical which will only allow it to open when the moisture level becomes high and washes the chemical out of the cone. The giant sequoias disperse many seeds but only one in one billion seeds will grow to become a mature tree.

Giant sequoias can grow to be about three thousand years old. Ancestors of the trees living today were around when the dinasours roamed the earth. These magnificent beasts used to grow all over North America thousands of years ago when the climate was wetter. Now these trees are only found between 4,500 and 8,000 feet in elevation on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California.

You can tell the difference between the scale-like needles of an incense cedar and those of a giant sequoia by how their needles feel in your hands. You can place the needles of an incense cedar in between your palms and they will lie flat like they had been pressed with an iron. However, try this with a giant sequoia and the needles will poke you.

I learned about these wonderful trees while visiting the Yosemite Institute. Click here to learn more about my visit.

Click here or on my email address below to send me a question or comment. I look forward to hearing from you! Mike@Kahncious.Net

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