Coastal Redwood

The Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) is the only living species of the genus Sequoia and has been native to coastal California for millennia. These towering giants are evergreen trees and can live for 1,000 to 2,000 years, making them some of the oldest living trees on Earth. They are also the tallest trees on Earth and can grow to an astounding 379 feet tall. Redwoods are monoecious, meaning both male (pollen-producing) and female (seed-bearing) cones are borne on the same tree but on different branches. The pollen is shed in winter or in spring, whereas the mature, fertilized ovulate cones ripen in early fall to shed their seeds in late fall and early winter. The Ohlone indigenous people built houses made from redwood bark. During the Gold Rush, whole towns were constructed of redwood.