Sequoia evergreen. The sequoia tree is a unique representative of the plant world. Where does the sequoia tree grow in Russia?

Everyone has heard about this tree, but few manage to admire it. Despite its enormous popularity, its distribution is limited for a number of reasons. Sequoia is a tree that belongs to the genus of conifers, the cypress family, and the subfamily sequoioideae. Consists of two species: giant and evergreen sequoia. Both of these species grow in North America on the coast Pacific Ocean.

Scientists are sure that in the distant past this amazing plant inhabited the entire northern hemisphere of our planet. Yours modern name The tree was not received immediately: the British and Americans tried to immortalize their heroes in it. Then a compromise was reached: it was decided to name the tree in honor of the leader of the Cherokee tribe - Sequoyah, who, ironically, called on his people to fight against both the British and the Americans.

Today this plant grows only in a small area in Northern California and Southern Oregon, on a narrow coastal strip. Evergreen sequoia- a tree that is the tallest existing on Earth in our time. Usually its height ranges from 60 to 90 meters, but there were also specimens taller than 100 m, and one of them even reached 113 meters. Most of them grow in national park Redwood, on ocean-facing mountain slopes and foothill valleys.

The sequoia trunk has a very thick and fibrous bark. While the plant is young, it branches along the entire length of the trunk, but with age, the lower branches are lost, and only a dense crown is formed at the top. The undergrowth in such a forest develops poorly due to lack of lighting. Despite the fact that an adult tree produces a lot of seeds, only a small part of them germinates, and even this part is very difficult - there is not enough sunlight. Due to such slow reproduction, the sequoia (the tree was previously intensively cut down) was on the verge of extinction. Today, the main places where this grows are taken under protection, and their barbaric felling has been stopped.

The territory of this huge North American reserve is the main repository of what is rightfully considered the greatest living organism. In terms of size and life expectancy, there are no equals in nature. The existence of the giant sequoia is calculated not in tens or even hundreds of years, but in millennia - it can live up to 4000 years. over such a long period it grows in height up to 95 meters, and in diameter it grows to 10 meters or more. - this is the name of sequoia - a tree (its photo has gone around the whole world), which has already lived for 4000 years and continues to grow, today its weight is 2995796 kg.

The tallest tree growing today is the Stratospheric Giant. It is located in Redwood National Park. In 2002, its height was 112.56 m.

The tallest tree on Earth was the Dyerville Giant. When it collapsed, it was possible to determine that its height was 113.4 m, and it lived for about 1600 years.

Currently, 15 sequoias have a height of more than 110 meters, and 47 trees are already approaching the 105 m mark. So, perhaps, the Dyerville Giant's record will be broken. They say that in 1912 a sequoia tree with a height of 115.8 m was cut down. But this fact has not been proven.

The most voluminous sequoia is a tree named General Sherman. Its volume has already exceeded 1487 cubic meters. m. They claim that in 1926 a tree with a volume of 1794 cubic meters was cut down. m. But it is no longer possible to verify this.

Syn: mahogany.

Sequoia is a monotypic genus of woody plants in the Cypress family, represented by a single species, Sequoia evergreen (or red). Sequoia is considered one of the most tall trees on the planet, some specimens can be higher than 110 meters, and the maximum age of the sequoia is 2000 years. The plant is used as construction material and is part of a dietary supplement for strengthening bones.

Ask the experts a question

In medicine

Sequoia is not used in official medicine. However, sequoia extract is present in some dietary supplements.

Contraindications and side effects

Since sequoia is not used in official medicine, no contraindications have been identified. Any use of the plant in medicinal purposes contraindicated.

In gardening

Sequoia is not used in gardening everywhere for a simple reason: it grows very slowly, and only the great-grandchildren of the person who started growing sequoia will experience the “teenage” period of the tree’s development. However, redwoods are sometimes grown. In Russia this is done mainly in Krasnodar region, for example, in Sochi Arboretum There is an area with redwood trees.

The tree can be grown from seeds or purchased as a seedling. Seeds collected from the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California are considered superior to seed found in European nurseries. The point is that in botanical gardens Sequoia was brought to Europe a little over a century ago; this is a small age for trees, they are too young to produce strong seeds. But seedlings, on the contrary, are better to order from nurseries in France and Britain; they may not survive transportation from America.

The seeds need to be prepared before planting; first, they are placed in the refrigerator for a week, then soaked in water at room temperature for two days. They are planted in sandy-clay moist soil, sprinkled with 1-2 mm of soil, and placed in a sunny place. It is recommended to cover the container with cling film. The crops are sprayed and ventilated twice a day; they cannot be watered, because... They can die from waterlogging. Seed germination is low, 15-20 percent. The first shoots may appear in a week or a couple of months.

When the sprouts appear, cling film needs to be removed. Young sprouts need sun, but straight Sun rays are harmful, so the plant needs to be shaded. Five months after planting, the sequoia already looks like a small Christmas tree. For up to three years, the plant is grown in a pot and watered regularly. Then it can be transplanted into the ground, but you need to keep in mind that sequoia does not tolerate temperatures below minus 18 degrees.

In other areas

Sequoia wood is widely used as a building and carpentry material; it has high strength, is little susceptible to rotting and damage by insects, and also withstands lateral loads well. Wood is used to make furniture, sleepers, telegraph poles, paper, and tiles; They produce boxes for storing tobacco and cigars, barrels for molasses and honey.

The durability and strength of sequoia make it an excellent material for the manufacture of gutters, tanks, vats, and pipes. It is used for interior decoration and exterior cladding of houses. Thick bark is a raw material for fiber boards and filter materials. Even coffins are made from sequoia.

IN last years The construction of houses from sequoia timber is becoming popular, although this fashion mainly concerns the USA.

Classification

Sequoia (lat. Sequoia) is a monotypic genus of woody plants of the Cypress family (lat. Cupressaceae).

Botanical description

Sequoia is a monoecious evergreen tree. It has a conical crown. The branches grow with a slight downward slope or horizontally. The bark can be up to 30 cm thick, fibrous, soft, red-brown, darkening over time. The root system consists of shallow, widely spreading roots. The leaves of young sequoia are flat and elongated, 15-25 mm long, and on top of the crowns of old trees they are scale-like, 5-10 mm long.

The cones are ovoid in shape, 15-32 mm long, the scales are spirally twisted. Pollination occurs at the end of winter, and ripening occurs after 8-9 months. Each cone contains 3-7 seeds 3-4 mm long. After drying, the cone opens and the seeds spill out.

The sequoia genome (at 31,500 megabases) is one of the largest among conifers and is the only currently known hexaploid among gymnosperms.

Spreading

Sequoia grows in the USA along the Pacific coast, from California to southwestern Oregon, at an average altitude of 30-750 m above sea level. The tree prefers humidity and fog. Redwoods growing above the fog layer are smaller and shorter. Sequoia is grown in British Columbia, Hawaii, New Zealand, Great Britain, Portugal, Italy, Mexico and South Africa. In Russia, sequoia is grown in the Krasnodar region.

Regions of distribution on the map of Russia.

Procurement of raw materials

The plant is not used for medicinal purposes and is not stored for future use.

Chemical composition

Chemical composition Sequoias have been little studied.

Pharmacological properties

The pharmacological properties of sequoia have not been studied.

Use in folk medicine

Sequoia is not used in folk medicine, however, the plant extract is contained in the BIO SEQUOIA dietary supplement, intended to strengthen bones and joints.

Historical reference

The sequoia received its name in the second half of the 19th century, as the tree was named by the Austrian botanist, numismatist and orientalist Stefan Endlicher, an outstanding taxonomist who created the best at that time natural system plants (“Genera plantarum secundum ordines naturalis disposita”, Vienna, 1836-1840; “Enchiridion botanicum”, Leipzig, 1841). It is believed that Endlicher named the tree in honor of the Cherokee Indian chief Sequoia, better known as English name George Hess. Sequoyah was the founder of the Cherokee writing system, and it was he who came up with the 85-character alphabet after observing how British colonialists wrote down their speech on paper.

It is believed that the tallest sequoia was cut down in 1912 and reached a height of 115.8 m, but there is no documentary evidence of this. So at the moment the most tall sequoia What remains is a tree discovered in 2006 by Chris Atkins, named Hyperion, its height is 115.61 meters. Moreover, researchers agree that to grow more more redwoods only the damage caused by the woodpecker was included. And before Hyperion, the record holder was the sequoia Stratospheric Giant from the Humboldt-Redwood Park with a height of 113.11 m.

Literature

1. Trifonova V.I. Family Taxodiaceae // Plant Life. In 6 volumes / Ch. ed. Al. A. Fedorov. - M.: Education, 1978. - T. 4. Mosses. Moss mosses. Horsetails. Ferns. Gymnosperms. Ed. I. V. Grushvitsky and S. G. Zhilin. - pp. 374-383. - 447 p.

But many visitors to Jedediah Smith will never see the cluster giant sequoias, known as the "Grove of the Titans". Their locations are kept secret to protect the massive and ancient trees from humans. (40 photos)

These sequoias have a huge trunk diameter and almost unreal height. Like natural skyscrapers, they are taller than the iconic Statue of Liberty from the base of her pedestal to the tip of her torch. Some people who walk among these giants claim that such an adventure is so impressive that it is life-changing. As the naturalist John Muir, known as the father, once said national parks: “The most obvious way into the Universe is through the wilderness.” Photo: m24instudio

The photographer wrote: “The morning we visited Muir Woods was rainy and foggy, all the plants and trees were covered in dew. The feeling was like tropical forest, and the height and density of the trees isolated us from the rest of the world.” The trees "range from 400 to 800 years old and reach 250 feet in height." Photo: Justin Brown

James Irvine Trail in Prairie Creek Park. The photographer noted that “like kids in a candy store, we got too excited and bit off more than we could chew; or, more precisely, we went on an excursion that could not fit into one daylight. In old, overgrown, dense forests, twilight falls several hours earlier than along the coast.” Photo: Justin Kern

At the base of a giant sequoia tree in Jedediah Smith. The park was named after the explorer and first American to travel across the country from the Mississippi River to California in 1826. Photo: drainhook

The Last Monarch tree in Grove of the Titans, Jedediah Smith Redwoods Park. It was discovered in 1998. It reaches a diameter of 7.9 m and a height of 98 m. The exact location of the Lost Monarch is kept secret due to fears that its publication will lead to increased traffic and could disrupt the ecosystem or lead to vandalism. Photographer says: "The Last Monarch" is hiding in wet forest, where redwoods and ferns are perfectly combined.” Photo: Yinghai

Andrea T. said: “Exceptional and incredible. If you love trees, if you love solitude. If you like to feel the vibrations of the Earth, then come here.” This park occupies almost 53,000 hectares of land, of which more than 17 thousand are covered with untouched old redwoods. Photo: Steve Dunleavy

At Redwood State Park in March 2014. The park's brochure states: “California redwoods are among the tallest and oldest trees on Earth. Some grow up to 300 feet tall and reach up to 50 feet in circumference. Scientists estimate that their age may vary from 1,000 to 2,000 years.” Photo: Christian Arballo

A dense grove at Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. According to Redwood Hikes: “Nothing compares to the pure and pristine beauty of this extraordinary grove on a sunny day.” Photo: Steve Dunleavy

Redwood National Park. The photographer writes: "This small pedestrian bridge in the park is over 300 feet in the air." Photo: Steve Dunleavy

Prairie Creek, the James Irwin Trail, a cluster of trees, and a man to help you visualize the size of a redwood tree. Trees of Mystery explains: “A knocked over redwood tree will try to continue to grow through its shoots. If the branches point upward, they can become independent trees. Groups of trees grow from the living remains of a fallen redwood tree stump. If you look at the genetic information in the cell of each of these, you will find that they are identical to each other. These are clones! Photo: rachel_thecat

John Muir once said, “Everyone needs beauty as well as bread, an indoor place to play and pray, and nature to heal and give strength to soul and body.” Photo: Craig Goodwin

A bear in a foggy forest among sequoia trees. Although the giant redwood tree and the giant sequoiadendron appear very similar, they are actually two different types. Sequoiadendron lives up to 3,000 years, has bark up to 3 feet thick, branches grow up to 8 feet in diameter, and can only reproduce by seeds. By comparison, giant sequoias (redwood) grow for up to 2,000 years, have bark up to 12 inches thick, have branches up to 5 feet in diameter, and can reproduce either vegetatively or by seed. Photo: Linda Tanner

Magnificent green growth in the shade under a canopy of redwood trees. John Muir said, “If you pull one thing in nature, you find it attached to the rest of the world.” Photo: Justin Kern

Incredible canopy in Muir Forest. The ancestors of the redwood tree and the giant sequoiadendron grew in the United States 150 million years ago. By the beginning of the 20th century most of these forests were cut down. North of San Francisco Bay, a forest of old-growth coast redwood trees is known as the Muir Forest Preserve. Photo: Justin Kern

Large maple tree on the Mill Creek Trail in Jedediah Smith Redwood Park. Photo: Miguel Vieira

HDR panoramic shot of a Humboldt County redwood grove. Stout Grove is a majestic example of an ancient coastal redwood forest and is considered the heart of Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park. In 1929, Mrs. Clara Stout donated the 44-acre grove to the Redwood Saving League to preserve it and memorialize her husband, lumber magnate Frank D. Stout. Photo: Michael Holden

Lush redwood forest and ferns in February 2014. “My first visit to Muir Forest,” writes the photographer. “I was hoping for rain, fog, deserted people and got none of it. But this place has a lot of potential.” Photo: Beau Rogers

Alley in Muir Forest. The photographer wrote: “It was very crowded, only great patience helped me with this photo. I was just waiting for a gap between visitors.” Photo: Beau Rogers

There are 10 monstrous in the Grove of Titans huge trees, which were "hidden" until 1998. How could this happen? Partly due to the fact that you need to get to this place through dense bushes taller than a man. "The Old Man of the North (also known as El Viejo del Norte), at 323 feet tall and at least 23 feet in diameter, is the fifth largest coastal redwood tree in the world." The photographer wrote that the Old Man of the North is his favorite tree in the Grove of the Titans. It is not just huge, it has a characteristic swell that makes it easy to recognize. Photo: Yinghai

A moss-covered tree trunk in Jedediah Smith Redwoods. The greenery in this place has spread to almost all available surfaces. Photo: Brian Hoffman

The Last Monarch is one of the 10 largest trees in Grove of the Titans, the largest coast redwood by volume with a height of 320 feet and a diameter of at least 26 feet. Photo: Matt Rowe

Walk through a deep ravine (9.1 to 15.2 m) known as Fern Canyon, which is located in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. As described by Michael S: “The unrivaled natural beauty of vertical walls covered in ferns. Unlike any other place on Earth. Imagine walking through a narrow canyon where the walls are completely covered with lush ferns, moss, raindrops and mini waterfalls. An unforgettable natural wonder with five species of giant ferns. Steven Spielberg chose Fern Canyon for the film "Park" Jurassic period: Lost World". Photo: Alex Green

The Boy Scout Trail at Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park takes you deep into the forest and into old growth trees. Photo: Miguel Vieira

Boy Scout tree on the Boy Scout trail. This double redwood tree was so named because it was discovered by a local Boy Scout troop leader. A 1931 article reported that it was the largest, 31 feet in diameter and 87 feet in circumference, and oval in shape. Apparently, at one time, two separate trees stood side by side, but then merged and grew together until they reached a height of 250 feet above the ground. Photo: NAParish

The sun's rays break through the coastal fog and the dense branches of giant trees. Photo: NPS

Delighted by the beautiful giant sequoias in California. Photo: Margaret Killjoy

Twilight rays of sunlight breaking through the redwoods. Photo: Fovea Centralis

Trees of the family Taxodiaceae ( Taxodiaceae). According to one of the classification systems, the Taxodiaceae family belongs to the subclass of Conifers ( Pinidae or Coniferae), which, in turn, is included in the class Conifers or Pinopsids ( Pinopsida), belonging to the department of Gymnosperms ( Gymnospermae).

The only species of the genus is the evergreen or red sequoia ( S. sempervirens) – considered the symbol of the US state of California, it is one of the highest and long-lived trees on Earth, which is also famous for its beautiful, straight-grained and rot-resistant wood.

The height of the evergreen sequoia is about 90 m, and the record height is 113 m. It was recorded in Redwood National Park in California. The trunk diameter reaches 6–11 m and can increase by 2.5 cm per year. Sequoia has the most valuable wood among taxodiaceae with a red core and pale yellow or white sapwood (sapwood is the layers of wood located between the core and the cambium). The bark of the tree is thick, reddish, and deeply furrowed. The quality of wood varies not only depending on the location of growth, but also within the same trunk. The crown is narrow, starting above the lower third of the trunk. Oval cones and short shoots with flat bluish-gray needles give the sequoia beauty and lushness. The root system is formed by lateral roots that go shallow into the soil.

Sequoia evergreen is one of the longest-living plants on Earth: its life age is more than 2000 years (the oldest known tree is about 2200 years old). Maturity occurs at 400–500 years.

The reproductive organs of sequoia (like all conifers) are strobili – modified shortened shoots bearing special leaves – sporophylls , on which spore-forming organs are formed - sporangia . There are male strobili (they are called microstrobili) and female (megastrobiles). Sequoia is a monoecious plant (microstrobiles and megastrobilians develop on the same tree). Microstrobiles are solitary; they are located on the tips of shoots or in the axils of leaves. Megastrobiles are collected in small oval-shaped single cones. One of the features of sequoia is its ability to produce abundant growth, which does not differ in growth rate and life expectancy from seedlings grown from seeds. The redwood forests in America consist mainly of trees that grew this way.

At the end of the Cretaceous and in the Tertiary period, evergreen sequoia, along with other representatives of taxodiaceae, was widespread in the northern hemisphere, but now the remains of forests with its participation are preserved only in a limited area of ​​the west North America, namely, along a narrow strip of the Pacific Coast from Monterey County in northern California to the Chetco River in southern Oregon. The length of this strip is about 720 km, it is located at an altitude of 600 to 900 m above sea level. Evergreen sequoia needs a very humid climate, so it does not go further from the coast than 32–48 km, remaining within the influence of humid sea air.

Sequoia forests were first discovered by Europeans on the Pacific coast in 1769. Sequoia then got its name “mahogany” from the color of its wood ( Redwood), which has survived to this day. In 1847, the Austrian botanist Stefan Endlicher isolated these plants into an independent genus and gave it the name “sequoia” in honor of Sequoyah (Sequoyah, 1770–1843), an outstanding Iroquois leader who invented the Cherokee alphabet.

Because of its excellent wood and rapid growth, sequoia is specially grown in forestry. Light, dense, not subject to rotting and insect attacks, sequoia wood is widely used as a building and carpentry material, used for the manufacture of furniture, sleepers, telegraph poles, railway cars, paper and tiles. The absence of odor allows it to be used in tobacco and Food Industry. It is used to make boxes and crates for cigars and tobacco, barrels for storing honey and molasses. Because of its excellent wood and rapid growth, sequoia is specially grown in forestry. Sequoia is used and how ornamental plant, breeding it for this purpose in gardens and parks.

Two other species are close to the evergreen sequoia, each of which is also the only representative of its genus. The first species is the giant sequoiadendron or mammoth tree ( Sequoiadendron giganteum); the second species is Metasequoia glyptostrobus ( Metasequoia glyptostroboides).

Giant Sequoiadendron

or the mammoth tree was named so because of its gigantic size and external resemblance its huge hanging branches with mammoth tusks. Sequoia evergreen and giant sequoia are similar in appearance, but at the same time they differ from each other in the shape of the leaves, the size of the cones and a number of other characteristics.

Like the evergreen sequoia, giant sequoia was widespread in the northern hemisphere at the end of the Cretaceous and in the Tertiary period, now only about 30 small groves have survived, located on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada in California at an altitude of 1500-2000 m above sea level.

The giant sequoiadendron was described in 1853, but after that its name changed several times. The appearance of the tree so amazed Europeans that they began to give it names greatest people that time. Thus, the famous English botanist D. Lindley, who first described this plant, called it Wellingtonia in honor of the Englishman Duke of Wellington, hero of the Battle of Waterloo. The Americans, in turn, proposed the name Washingtonia (or Washington sequoia) in honor of the first US President D. Washington, who headed liberation movement against the British. But since the names Washingtonia and Wellingtonia had already been assigned to other plants, in 1939 this plant received its current name.

The giant sequoiadendron is an unusually majestic and monumental tree, reaching a height of 80–100 m with a trunk diameter of up to 10–12 m. It is distinguished by its longevity and can probably live up to 3 or even 4 thousand years.

Because of their durable, rot-resistant wood, sequoiadendrons in their homeland have been rapaciously exterminated since the time of the first explorers. The remaining old trees (and there are only about 500 of them) are declared protected. The largest sequoiadendrons bear proper names: “Father of the Forests”, “General Sherman”, “General Grant” and others. These trees are real giants flora. It is known, for example, that an orchestra and three dozen dancers can easily fit on the cut of one of them, and cars pass through tunnels made in the lower parts of the trunks of some other trees. One of the largest of these trees, the General Sherman, weighs about 2,995,796 kg.

Sequoiadendron as an ornamental plant is grown in many countries of the world; for example, it has taken root well in parks and gardens in the southwestern part of Europe, where it was brought back in the mid-19th century.

Sequoiadendrons are used not only for decorative purposes. Sequoiadendron wood, which does not rot, is used in construction work, for the manufacture of tiles and fences. Thick tree bark (30–60 cm) is used as linings in fruit containers.

Metasequoia glyptostrobus

differs from other taxodiaceae (including the closely related genera sequoia and sequoiadendron) in the arrangement of leaves and scales. This plant was initially known only from fossil remains, so the discovery of living metasequoia (in 1946) aroused the interest of biologists around the world. Subsequent expeditions made it possible to establish the range of this plant. Now metasequoia has survived only in a small area (about 8000 m2) in the mountains of the northeast Chinese province Sichuan and neighboring Hubei province at an altitude of 700–1350 m above sea level. The bulk of metasequoias (about 1,000 mature trees in total) are concentrated in Hubei province, in a valley called Water Fir Valley after the tree's local name. Trees growing here are 600 years old or more, reaching 30–35 m in height and 2 m in diameter.

Natural habitats of metasequoia - mixed forests along the slopes of mountain gorges, along streams and in hollows. In addition, it is often found in the surrounding villages, where among local residents There is a custom of planting young trees brought from the forest along rice fields and near houses.

In the past, the range of this genus was extremely wide, as evidenced by the fossil remains of metasequoia found almost everywhere in Asia, North America, Greenland and Spitsbergen. This genus apparently arose in Cretaceous period(from 132 to 66 million years ago) and reached its peak in the Oligocene epoch of the Tertiary period (from 37 to 25 million years ago). Metasequoia forests covered vast areas of the northern hemisphere at that time, but, unlike modern look, metasequoias of the past grew near wetlands in forests.

Metasequoia is now grown in many countries outside its natural range. It develops best in humid subtropics, however, it grows both in cold climates (Alaska, Norway, Finland) and in countries with hot continental climate. As a rule, it is grown as an ornamental plant - a slender metasequoia with a pyramidal crown and a beautiful reddish-brown trunk is a decoration for any park. The wood of this tree is no different high qualities However, in a number of countries with an optimal climate for the development of metasequoia, attempts have been made to introduce its forestry.

Natalia Novoselova

The flora of our planet is amazing and diverse. One of the most interesting is a separate genus of trees, consisting of only one species, represented by the evergreen sequoia.

There are several other names for this plant - red sequoia and taxodium evergreen. These representatives of the Taxodia family are the absolute leaders in height not only among conifers, but throughout the entire plant kingdom of the Earth. The maximum amazes the imagination. What power, what strength! Let's talk about this giant, preserved from ancient times.

Sequoia: the giant tree

Sequoia is one of three species of trees known by the epithet "redwood". This is an evergreen conifer, whose lifespan, according to various sources, reaches 3000 years, height up to 115, and base diameter - 5-6 meters or more. The name "sequoia" is supposedly given to the plant in honor of the Cherokee leader Sequoia, but it is possible that this is just a beautiful legend.

Maximum height of evergreen sequoia

These trees are real giants. The height to which they stretch is amazing, and it is difficult for people who have never seen them to imagine a plant reaching the roof of a 46-story building. This is a truly unique tree, because even the average specimens in the bulk exceed the sixty-meter mark. Many conifers of this species can reach ninety meters in height, and there are also record holders. The maximum height of the evergreen sequoia, called the “Father of Forests” and, unfortunately, not preserved to this day, was 135 meters. The modern undisputed leader is the Hyperion sequoia, which has reached a height of 115.6 meters. The diameter of the Hyperion base is no less impressive - almost 5 meters. The approximate age of the giant is about 800 years.

The leadership of this plant was established in 2006 by American scientists. They said that if the top of the tree had not been damaged by birds, then maximum height evergreen sequoia in meters would be 115.8 m. The giant is located in the California Redwood National Park, California, and anyone can admire it. In the history of mankind, the most recorded large diameter the trunk is 7 m, and also a considerable age, reaching up to 3.5 thousand years.

Features of the view

So, sequoia is an evergreen monoecious conifer with a conical crown. Tree branches usually grow horizontally to the ground or with a slight downward slope. The bark, reaching a thickness of 30 cm, has a fibrous, dissected into deep furrows, relatively soft structure and a terracotta hue, darkening after some time after its removal. It was this property of the bark that gave the name to the species - “mahogany”.

Among all taxodiaceae, sequoia has the most valuable wood with a pink-red core and cream or white sapwood, i.e., layers located between the core and the cambium. Surprisingly, the quality of wood in one trunk can vary. The maximum height of the evergreen sequoia, exceeding 110 meters, as business card species, indicates the uniqueness of this plant. One tree can produce significantly more than 1000 cubic meters of wood.

Narrow, decorated with cones, begins to grow above the third part of the trunk. The root system is formed by widely spreading lateral roots that go shallow into the ground.

Sequoia is not only a giant, but also a long-liver - one of the longest living plants on Earth. Its age is more than 2000 years. Young sequoias reach maturity at 400-500 years.

Sequoia propagation

Many amazing events happen in nature. So is the sequoia, the great Gulliver plant kingdom, grows from a tiny seed, the length of which does not exceed half a centimeter. Sequoia reproduces by seeds collected in small single oval-shaped cones, and can produce abundant growth. The cones of the plant, measuring from 15 to 30 mm, ripen in late autumn and contain 3-7 seeds, which spill out when the fruit dries.

A peculiarity of the species is the absence of differences in growth rate and longevity between seedlings grown from seeds and young shoots that arise spontaneously. The maximum height of evergreen sequoia does not change depending on the germination method.

Where do giant trees grow?

Long ago, at the end of the day, these evergreens were distributed throughout the northern hemisphere. Then no one was amazed by the maximum height of the evergreen sequoia.

Today, the remnants of relict forests where it grows have been preserved in limited space western North America: on a narrow strip of Pacific coastline stretching from Monterey County in northern California to the Chetco River in southern Oregon. This strip lasts just over 700 km and is located at an altitude of 600 to 900 meters above sea level. Humid climate sequoia needs it, so it cannot spread further from the coast than 30-40 km, and always remains in the zone of influence of sea air, which carries the water much needed by the plant.

The concept of “redwood forests” first appeared in 1769 when they were discovered on the Pacific coast. At the same time, based on the color of the wood, the plant received the name “mahogany”, which has remained with it to this day. In 1847, the Austrian biologist Stefan Endlicher isolated these plants into separate species, characteristic feature which became the maximum height of the evergreen sequoia, in meters exceeding 100-110.

Properties of wood

The plant’s excellent high-quality wood, dense, light, resistant to insect pests and rot, is widely known in the world and is used as a carpentry material, which is often indispensable in the manufacture of various things - from sleepers and furniture to finished houses.

The complete absence of woody odor makes it possible to use the material in those areas industrial production, where it is necessary, for example, in the food and tobacco industries. The maximum height of the evergreen sequoia is amazing. The photos of these plants presented in the article emphasize their greatness, power and beauty.