Stepping into a grove of giant sequoias is to step back in time and nature in a world that feels both ancient and otherworldly. The air grows quieter, the light softens, and suddenly the scale of everything changes. Trees that have lived for millennia, trees so massive that their presence reshapes the very landscape, rise around you. It’s no wonder that the sequoia has become a symbol of endurance and the extraordinary resilience of nature.
We don’t get to see these majestic trees in Indiana, so I wanted to learn more and dream more about what it’s like to stand among these towering trees and all their wonder.
The name “sequoia” often refers to two related but distinct species, each holding its own world record. Along California’s northern coast stand the coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens), the tallest living trees on Earth. In the misty air of their fog-fed forests, some reach beyond 350 feet—taller than most skyscrapers.
Inland, on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada, grow the giant sequoias (Sequoiadendron giganteum). These trees rarely match the redwoods in height, but they surpass them in mass. Their trunks swell to staggering proportions, making them the largest trees on Earth by volume.
Quick Facts: Sequoia Records
• Tallest tree: Coast redwood “Hyperion” at 380 feet
• Largest tree by volume: Giant sequoia “General Sherman” at 52,500 cubic feet
• Widest trunks: Up to 36 feet across at the base
• Exclusive range: Only in California
The Weight of Centuries
Sequoias are among the oldest living things on the planet. Some individuals are believed to be more than 3,000 years old, sprouting before the rise of classical Greece. To study a sequoia’s rings is to read a timeline of climate shifts, droughts, and fires stretching back across human history. They are living archives and silent witnesses to the passing of civilizations.
Quick Facts: Age and Longevity
• Oldest giant sequoias: 3,000+ years
• Average mature age: 2,000 years
• A sequoia can add an entire medium-sized tree’s worth of wood each year
Fire as a Catalyst
For most trees, fire is a destructive force. For sequoias, it is essential. Their bark, spongy and fibrous, can grow up to two feet thick, protecting them from flames. When fire sweeps through a grove, the heat opens the sequoia’s cones, releasing seeds that have been waiting for the right conditions to germinate. The ash bed left behind provides fertile soil, free from the competition of smaller plants. This counterintuitive relationship has reshaped forest management practices. Controlled burns are now used in national parks to mimic the natural cycles that sequoias have depended on for millennia.
Quick Facts: Fire and Survival
• Bark thickness: Up to 2 feet, highly fire-resistant
• Seeds released: Cones open with heat
• Without fire, new sequoias rarely establish
The Largest Sequoia of Them All
The most famous of the giant sequoias is the General Sherman Tree, located in Sequoia National Park. By height, it is not the tallest tree in the world, but in sheer volume it surpasses all others. Standing at 275 feet and measuring more than 36 feet across at the base, General Sherman contains an estimated 52,500 cubic feet of wood. Despite its size, it continues to grow each year.
Beyond their size and age, sequoias serve a vital ecological role. Like all trees, they store carbon dioxide, but on an unparalleled scale, helping to mitigate climate change. They create habitats for countless species of birds, insects, and mammals, and their fallen logs nourish the forest floor for centuries after they die.
Yet they are not invincible. Climate change, drought, and increasingly intense wildfires threaten their future. In 2020 and 2021, wildfires in the Sierra Nevada killed thousands of giant sequoias, trees that had survived countless fires before. Protecting these forests has become both a scientific challenge and an ecological responsibility.
Sequoias are a Lesson in Longevity
To walk among sequoias—giants of time and nature is to be reminded of the scale of life beyond our own. They endure by adapting, welcoming fire, anchoring themselves in harsh mountain slopes, and reaching to the sky through centuries of change. In them we see the value of resilience, patience, and perspective. What you see is not just a tree, but a life form standing as a testament to the strength and mystery of the natural world.
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Want to add more trees to your landscape?
Fall is a great time to plant. It gives tree roots time to establish themselves and settle in before winter arrives. Be sure to water regularly right up to the first frost to ensure tree roots stay hydrated for the long winter nap. Shop our trees online or visit your nearest Wasson Garden Center.