How tall do sequoias get

Known for sky-scraping forests unique to this corner of the world, California draws visitors from all over the globe to the land of towering giants. Defining the landscape at mesmerizing heights, and with a truly distinctive appearance, these ancient forest stands are made of up sequoias and redwoods, some of the most fascinating and unique trees on Earth.

Sequoias and giant redwoods are often referred to interchangeably, though they are two very different, though equally remarkable, species of tree. Both naturally occurring only in California, these two species share a distinctive cinnamon-colored bark and the proclivity for growing to overwhelming heights. Both also require very specific, though very distinct, climates to survive. For more information about the trees, plants and animals of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, visit any one of our shops within the parks and take time to visit the Visitor Centers and Museums.

Known as both the giant redwood and the coastal redwood, Sequoia sempervirens differs from its relative the giant sequoia, Sequoiadendron giganteum, primarily in the environment it requires. With the right amount of moisture, redwoods can grow two or three feet in a year, making them one of the fastest-growing conifers in the world. In contrast to their size, redwoods have extremely small cones — about one inch long.

They have appropriately large root systems , however, often extending feet 30 meters and intertwining with the roots of other redwoods, according to the California Department of Parks and Recreation. Baby redwoods often sprout at their parents' base, latching onto their roots for nutrients. For this reason, they often grow in circular clusters sometimes called fairy rings.

The coast redwood's lumber has been highly valued historically. It is durable, resistant to rot and termites, non-warping, and relatively soft. For this reason, it has been extensively logged. Since logging began in the s, 95 percent of old-growth coast redwoods have been cut down, according to the Sempervirens Fund. Today, many redwoods exist in protected forests and parks. The changing climate presents problems for redwoods. A warmer climate may result in less rain, and perhaps more concerning, less fog, which has historically been the tree's defense against dry spells, according to an ongoing study by a group of University of California-based researchers.

Fog in northern California and Oregon is on the decline because of climate change and the expanding human population along the coasts, which produce "urban heat islands," according to a UC Merced researcher with the study. On the other hand, a long-term study conducted by the Save the Redwoods League found that coastal redwoods have seen unprecedented growth over the last years.

They are still trying to understand why but one theory involves lessening fog in those areas. That could be a possibility. Many studies suggest that redwoods and sequoias may also play an important part in mitigating climate change, according to Zierten. The trees have the ability to pull in and store dangerous carbon, keeping it from wreaking havoc on the climate.

Zierten emphasized that these studies have focused on ancient, or old-growth, forests. The trees there are bigger so they are able to store more carbon. Even the fallen logs store carbon, as do the under-story plants.

For this reason, Zierten recommends that conservation organizations focus on preserving and restoring the old-growth forests that we still have, rather than planting more and more trees. We need to take what we have and make sure the forests are healthy and continue to thrive. According to scientists who study the trees using elaborate climbing mechanisms to reach the treetops, in summer, coast redwoods can get more than half of their moisture from fog.

The reason is that fog is surprisingly dense with water. One study from scientists Daniel Fernandez of California State University, Monterey Bay , showed that a one-square-meter fog collector could harvest some 39 liters, or nearly 10 gallons, of water from fog in a single day. Yet another factor may be the trees remarkable longevity. They are survivors. The Sierra Nevadas have long experienced dramatic swings in climate, and this may be yet another of those swings that the trees will simply endure.

Or maybe not. For most of the time that redwoods and sequoias have existed, they have done a remarkable job fighting off fires, swings in climate, as well as disease and bug infestations. The thirst for fog and proximity to water sources could be the trees undoing, however. Although they have managed to survive for hundreds if not thousands of years, climate change could well be the one new variable that changes everything for the trees.

Warm air pulls moisture from leaves, and the trees often close their pores, or stomata, to maintain their water supply. When the pores close, that prevents carbon dioxide from nourishing the tree, halting photosynthesis. That said, other studies that show the increased carbon that causes warming could actually be good for the trees. As most people know, trees consume carbon dioxide from the air, so, the scientists argue , more carbon means more growth. We will see. The good news is that to date, no drought-induced mortality has been observed in mature coastal redwoods or giant sequoias.

It all comes down to some kind of balance. Trees may benefit from more carbon, but if it gets too hot, trees could start to perish. The prospect of losing these magnificent trees to climate change is a double whammy. Not only would a mass die-off of trees be terrible for tourism and those who simply love and study them, but trees are some of the best bulwarks we have on the planet to fight climate change. Redwoods are among the fastest-growing trees on earth ; they can grow three to ten feet per year.

In fact, a redwood achieves most of its vertical growth within the first years of its life. Among trees that do the best job taking carbon out of the atmosphere, you could hardly do better than redwoods and sequoias. Numerous groups are actively trying to plant more redwoods around the world in the hope that they might become a sink for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Indeed, there is some evidence that planting vast tracks of trees globally could have a major impact on climate change. They take snippets of the trees from the top canopy and replant them, essentially creating genetically identical copies of the original tree.

This is the video story I produced about Milarch back in California is special, and we are blessed to have these trees and the places where they grow in our state. Redwood National and State Parks. This is the California Science Weekly. We cover everything to do with science and discovery in the Golden State.