Sequoia Tree

SEQUOIA TREE

by Antonio C. Antonio

August 17, 2014

Does the name “sequoia” remind you of anything?  For some Sequoia is a big SUV model being manufactured by Toyota.  But for forest and tree lovers, sequoia is a coniferous tree also commonly called redwood quite common in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California, USA.

Here are some important and notable information on what most people will consider as the king of trees:

1.     Sequoia trees are generally fibrous and brittle and they would often shatter when felled.  Because of this, the commercial value of lumber from sequoia trees is relatively low.  It is said that this characteristic of being brittle was the main reason why sequoia trees are not subjected to commercial logging… and, therefore, grew to what they are now.

2.     Wood and timber from mature sequoia trees is highly resistant to decay.

3.     The estimated forest cover of sequoia trees in Sierra Nevada, California is 145 square kilometers.  Most of the sequoia trees are protected in the Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon National Park and Giant Sequoia National Monument.

4.     Giant sequoias are normally found in alluvial soils and humid climate characterized by long dry summers and snowy winters.

5.     A group of sequoia trees often form a thick canopy which causes the lower-lying branches to die from the lack of sunlight.

6.     Sequoia trees are known for their strong water pull to extreme heights due to osmotic pressure.

7.     Giant sequoias are the largest single trees and largest flora representative in terms of volume or biomass. An average sequoia tree could grow up to 280 feet with a diameter of 30 feet.

8.     Sequoia trees regenerates by seed.  A fully grown sequoia tree has been estimated to produce an estimated maximum of 400,000 seeds per year.  Sequoia seeds can germinate in moist humus in spring while these seeds die as the duff dries in summer.

There is an old religious adage that says: “When God closes a door, He opens a window.”  This may well apply to the giant sequoia trees.  Big and voluminous (in terms of biomass) as they are, they should be the apple of the eyes of commercial loggers.  But God also made them brittle and, therefore, less attractive at the same time for use as material for any wood processing purpose.  If the story did not go this way, we can all say goodbye to the giant sequoia tree.

Just my little thoughts…

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