Virginia Tech Dendrology

redwood Cupressaceae Sequoia sempervirens (Lamb. ex D. Don) Endl. Listen to the Latin symbol: SESE3
Leaf: Evergreen, 1/2 to 1 inch long, linear, two-ranked and flattened, yellow-green to green, upper side of needle has sparse stomatal bloom while underside has two distinct bands. Leaves on cone-bearing branches may be scale-like.
Flower: Species is monoecious; both males and females are very small and occur near the ends of shoots; males are oblong; females egg-shaped.
Fruit: Woody cone, 3/4 to 1 inch long, reddish-brown, basically egg-shaped, mature in one season.
Twig: Slender, often drooping, initially green and later turning brown.
Bark: Very thick (up to 1 foot), deeply furrowed with rounded ridges, fibrous, reddish to gray-brown.
Form: Very large, tall, straight tree (over 300 feet) with a narrow, loose crown.
 Looks like: giant sequoia
leaf flower fruit twig bark form1 map
Additional Range Information: Sequoia sempervirens is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
More Information: Wood - Landowner Factsheet
External Links: USDAFS Silvics of North America - USDAFS FEIS Silvics - USDA Plants Database - Horticulture Information - USDAFS Forest Products Lab
All material © 2019 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information