Why are the trees so big in sequoia?

The mid-sierra zone (5,000-8,000 ft or 1,524-2,438 m) creates ideal conditions for giant sequoia growth. Mild winter and summer temperatures, deep winter snowpack, and a rich fire history have made it possible for the world's largest tree to get its biggest in these parks.



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Over the hundreds or thousands of years that a redwood may live, even moderate growth adds up. The evolutionary driver of bigness in redwoods may be the advantage in being good at survival. Or it may be simply be that being taller means better access to sunlight in the dark forest.

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Redwoods also boast some of the world's oldest trees—California redwoods can live more than 2,000 years, while their close relatives, the giant sequoias, have been recorded at nearly 3,500 years of age.

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Whitebark pine, Western juniper and Douglas-fir can live more than 1,000 years while giant sequoias can live more than 3,000 years. Giant sequoias are the third longest-lived tree species with the oldest known specimen to have been 3,266 years old in the Converse Basin Grove of Giant Sequoia National Monument.

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Visit the Parker Group Sequoias This is a group of giant sequoia trees that are huddled close to each other. We were thrilled to get up and close to some of the largest Sequoia trees. Unlike the General Sherman Tree, which is fenced off, one can walk up close to these trees and even touch them.

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The Sequoias are only found in places where ample underground moisture is available in summer. Attempts to grow these trees in Northern States and other cold or wet climates have generally failed.

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Giant Sequoias were introduced to Britain in 1860 and Elvaston Castle Country Park has 2 of the original specimens still going strong. Giant Sequoia in Elvaston Castle Country Park. Contributed by Dan Hartley of Derby in the UK. Eva Harakova was visiting University of Oxford with her daughter.

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