Virginia Tech Dendrology

giant sequoia Cupressaceae Sequoiadendron giganteum (Lindl.) J. Buchholz symbol: SEGI2
Leaf: Bluish-green; may be scale-like and appressed, or awl-like and spreading, depending on crown position.
Flower: Species is monoecious; males egg-shaped and very numerous in spring; females egg-shaped, yellowish.
Fruit: Oval, woody cone, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches long, brown.
Twig: Tightly covered in awl-like or scale-like leaves, later turning reddish brown with scaly bark as the leaves fall off.
Bark: Very thick (1 to 2 feet) on large trees, deeply furrowed with large rounded ridges, fibrous.
Form: A massive tree with thick heavy limbs, 250 to 300 feet tall, 10 to 15 feet in diameter.
Looks like: redwood

Additional Range Information: Sequoiadendron giganteum is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
More Information: Landowner Factsheet
External Links: USDAFS Silvics of North America - USDAFS FEIS Silvics - USDA Plants Database
All material © 2021 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