Sequoiadendron sempervirens est Procerus Nemus Totus


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Published: July 27th 2009
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In 2006, a team of intrepid researchers in California discovered 3 trees taller than the Stratosphere Giant of Humboldt Redwoods State Park. The tallest living thing in the world is now a Coast Redwood called Hyperion, and it stands an incredible 115.2 meters (378.1 feet) tall!

Redwoods have grown and prospered in many areas of Europe, Asia and North America since the warm Paleozoic Era over 160 million years ago. Changes in climate have restricted their natural range and eliminated all but three genera of redwood. Dawn Redwood, (Metasequoia glyptostroboides), is native to a remote area of central China. The Giant Sequoia, (Sequoiadendron giganteum), is native to the western slope of the southern Sierra Nevada mountain range in California. The Coast Redwood, (Sequoia sempervirens), is native to the Pacific Coast from southern Oregon to central California, extending not more than 50 miles inland.

Coast redwoods follow the fog and grow best at less than 2,000 feet elevation in areas of heavy winter rains and moderate year round temperatures. They are the world’s tallest living things. Some of them tower above 360 feet. The name, Sequoia sempervirens, is Latin for "ever living" - an appropriate name for these trees since many are 600 to 1200 years old and some have lived more than 2,000 years! In fact, since coast redwoods often reproduce by root collar burl sprouting, the genetic material that comprises some trees may be thousands of years old.

In a tropical rainforest, where vegetation is so thick as to be impenetrable, it seems like the ultimate in dense forest conditions. Surprisingly, however, the greatest accumulation of biomass (living and dead organic material) ever recorded on earth is in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, where an acre of stem mass (redwood tree trunks) alone has been estimated at 1,541 tons. When branch, leaf and root mass are added, the estimate increases to 1,800 tons per acre - seven times the density of biomass in an acre of tropical rainforest!

(Courtesy Humboldt Redwoods Interpretive Association)


(pictures taken over a 2 day summer solstice trip June 20)

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27th July 2009

What an enchanting forest ...
love the photos ! :)
28th July 2009

Red Wood Tree
Please Send World Fomous Tree
29th July 2009

Beautiful photos! The Redwoods are such an amazing sight.... wish I could go back. *sigh* Love your blog - some interesting facts here I didn't know. :)
6th August 2009

Gorgeous trees
I love the pictures! I went there in January of this year. Your information and pictures posted have enriched that experience for me. :)
12th May 2010
Riparian forest near Leggett

WOW
THIS FORSEST IS ABSOLUTLEY AMAZING!:0
4th September 2010

Redwood Grove Photos
Nice redwood grove photos. Like the birth one too. A frame at the top reminds me of the Mahon Plaque area. The Hyperion that you mentioned, and similar Grove of Titans, its cool to think that they are out there even if there is no map. A few folks have even mentioned that even though they wish they could find the spots, they like mystery better. Cheers, Redwood Trekker.

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