Redwood tree how tall

You often read or hear stories like the fact that a sierra redwood may contain enough wood to build 40 five-room homes; a tree may weigh 4, tons; they are as tall as the Statue of Liberty. However, these stories do little to convey the actual size of these trees. Many people have tried to show others how large redwoods are. Some folks have had their picture taken while riding a horse and buggy on a downed tree.

Others have taken photos of the Cavalry on a big tree. A favorite method for rangers to show children how large these trees are uses string. We cut a piece of string 95 feet long and then tie the ends together. The children then spread the string out into a circle. Apparently, the exact locations are kept secret to prevent vandalism. These trees are able to grow to be so tall because they're ancient and because they're well adapted to their temperate, foggy climate.

A typical redwood lives for to years, although some have been documented at more than 2, years old , meaning that some of the coast redwoods living today were alive during the time of the Roman Empire. Not only that, but coast redwoods have been on the planet for more than million years. Let me say that again: million years. That means they've been around since the time of dinosaurs, or maybe even earlier.

Giant sequoias, sometimes called Sierra redwoods, or Sequoiadendron giganteum , are the overall largest by volume trees on the planet. I confess that I'm curious how scientists were able to determine the weight of the tree, since it's still firmly rooted in the ground. If you know this, please let me know in the comments! It makes sense that giant sequoias grow even bigger than coast redwoods, because they can live even longer.

Most live to around 3, years old!! Even though redwoods are massive, they have tiny cones of about 1 inch long to spread their seeds around.

They have appropriately large root systems, though, often extending miles and intertwining with the roots of other redwoods. These underground networks spread out from their source—typically a dead tree—and end up growing in circular clusters, sometimes called fairy rings or cathedral trees. Cool, right? If you think about it, that means that some of today's redwoods could be the last in a 20, or 30,year or more line of the same tree reproducing itself over and over again.

Another way fairy circles can form is when baby redwoods sprout at their parents' base, latching onto their roots for nutrients. Because redwood seeds are so small compared to their mature size, it seems the sprouts don't wander too far from home. And having been lucky enough to see these trees with my own eyes, I can't really blame them.

Although not technically redwoods themselves, Pacific madrone trees, or Arbutus menziesii— sometimes called madrona, bearberry, or strawberry trees—are an important part of redwood forests. These fascinating trees were introduced to me as " refrigerator trees ," so called because of their eternally cool temperature, which I confess I didn't believe in until I tested it out for myself.

Madrone trees are easy to spot: they have smooth orange-red bark that peels and curls as it ages, eventually falling off and leaving its inner bark typically a pale green bare and visible.

Zones for Redwoods. Properties of Ash Wood. Pine Tree Diameter Vs. Types and Species of Cone-bearing Trees. Interesting Facts About the Hackberry Tree. What Kind of Tree Has Cones? What Is a Gorge in Geography? Facts About Cedar Trees.

Where Is the Mineral Topaz Found? How to Identify a White Oak Tree. Adaptations of the Coconut Tree. The Root System of a Weeping Willow.