Coast redwood is one of the State Tree of California another is Giant Sequoia. Sequoia sempervirens is the scientific name of Coast redwood and it is commonly known as Coast redwood, redwood, coastal redwood, California redwood, coastal sequoia, Palo Colorado. Sequoia is the genus of the Coast redwood and S. sempervirens is its species. California’s State tree Coast redwood has belonged to the family of Cupressaceae (formerly treated in Taxodiaceae). As an evergreen, long-lived, monoecious tree the Coast redwood is native to the Pacific coast of North America at altitudes up to 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) above sea level; the most southerly grove is in Monterey County, California, and the most northerly groves are in extreme southwestern Oregon.
When state bodies select a symbol for the state it should be represented extraordinary design, quality, availability, expression, and usefulness, cultural, traditional and religious background, which go back thousands of years or its popularities. On basis of the facts that stated above, the state General Assembly of California designated the Coast redwood as the official state tree of California on April 3, 1937.
Facts about California’s State Tree (Coast redwood)
- Common name: Coast redwood, redwood, coastal redwood, California redwood, coastal sequoia, Palo Colorado.
- Genus: Sequoia
- Species: Sequoia sempervirens
- Found in: native to the Pacific coast of North America; the most southerly grove is in Monterey County, California, and the most northerly groves are in extreme southwestern Oregon.
- Flower: The flower of Coast redwood trees are monoecious that means it produces both males and females flowers in the same plant. They are diminutive and occur close to the ends of shoots; males are the rectangle; females are more egg-shaped.
- Bark: The bark of the Coast redwood trees is very thick and deeply furrowed with curved ridges, fibrous, reddish to gray-brown in color.
- Leaf: The leaves of the Coast redwood trees are evergreen, 1/2 to 1 inch long, linear, two-ranked and flattened; yellow-green to green, the upper side of the needle has sparse stomata bloom while underside has two distinct bands. Leaves on cone-bearing branches may be scale-like.
- Fruits: The fruits of Coast redwood are called ‘cone’. The cones are woody, 3/4 to 1 inch long, reddish-brown in color, which is mostly egg-shaped and seasonal fruit.
- Purpose: Ornamental and lumber.
- Symbolism: Vision, Perspective, Health, Protection, Growth, Durability, Longevity.
California’s state tree the Coast redwood have takes 400 to 500 years to reach maturity, and some trees are known to be more than 1,500 years old. As the tree ages, the lower limbs fall away, leaving a clear, columnar trunk. When a tree is cut, sprouts arise from the sapwood below the cut surface. Natural reproduction occurs through seed production, although only a small percentage of the seeds germinate unless exposed to fire. Redwood trees are frequently grown in areas prone to inundation.
The sediments are damping causing floods, which can form impervious obstructions that suffocate tree roots. Also, the unhinged soil in flooded areas regularly causes trees to incline to one side, growing the probability to be overthrown over by the wind. Immediately after a flood, redwoods grow their existing roots upwards into recently deposited sediment layers.Coast redwood timbers are being used in carpentry and general construction, as well as for furniture, shingles, fence posts, and paneling. Bowls, trays, turned articles, and veneers are made from the trunk of burls cutting.
The Giant Sequoia is also the state tree of California, which is scientifically known as Sequoiadendron giganteum. The common name of Giant Sequoia is Giant redwood, Sierra redwood, Sierran redwood, Wellingtonia or simply Big Tree. The usual distribution of Giant Sequoias is constrained to an inadequate area of the western Sierra Nevada, California, which has occurred in strewn groves. Nowhere does it grow in unadulterated stands, even though in an only some small areas, situates to do approach an untainted circumstance. Groves range in size from 12.4 km with 20,000 mature trees and little groves with only six living trees.
The giant sequoia is generally found in a moist climate characterized by dry summers and snowy winters. Most giant sequoia groves are on granitic-based outstanding and alluvial soils. The elevation of the giant sequoia groves generally ranges from 1,400–2,000 m in the north, to 1,700–2,150 meters to the south. Giant sequoias generally occur on the south-facing sides of northern mountains, and on the northern faces of more southerly slopes. The Giant Sequoia is the largest tree on the earth.
To sum up, Coast redwood is the people’s favorite State Tree of California, which symbolizes the Vision, Perspective, Health, Protection, Growth, Durability, Longevity and is an official State tree symbol of California, which outstandingly represents and glorifies the spirit of California culture.
Ref:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sequoiadendron_giganteum
http://www.ereferencedesk.com/resources/state-tree/california.html
https://www.livescience.com/39461-sequoias-redwood-trees.html
https://www.savetheredwoods.org/redwoods/coast-redwoods/
www.visitsequoia.com/giant-sequoia-trees.aspx
https://statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/california/state-tree/california-redwood