redwood Cupressaceae Sequoia sempervirens (Lamb. ex D. Don) Endl. 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 Additional Range Information: Sequoia sempervirens is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. See states reporting redwood. More: Wood External Links: USDAFS Silvics of North America USDAFS Additional Silvics Landowner Factsheet USDA Plants Database Horticulture © Copyright 2015, Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, all rights reserved. Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson