Wildlife
In terms of volume, giant sequoias may be the largest living things on the planet. These wonders of the natural world can reach almost 100 metres in height with a trunk 11 metres in diameter. It takes 20 years for a giant sequoia to mature and produce cones. Each cone contains hundreds of winged seeds that can be dispersed far and wide by wind, insects and animals. Fire plays an important role in the ecology of giant sequoia trees. It clears away the competition and improves soil for seed germination. The loose fibres that make up the sequoia's extremely thick bark is fire resistant. Giant sequoias only grow naturally in the groves of the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California, USA.
Scientific name: Sequoiadendron
Rank: Genus
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Tree trumps
Slow but sure conifers include the oldest and largest trees in the world.
Slow but sure conifers include the oldest and largest trees in the world.
Noble conifer
An ancient giant sequoia is the heaviest living thing on Earth.
The giant sequioa tree is the largest living organism in the world by volume, with the closely-related coast redwood being the tallest tree in the world.
The Giant sequoia can be found in a number of locations including: North America. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.
The following habitats are found across the Giant sequoia distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.
Coniferous forestDiscover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.
Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web
Sequoiadendron giganteum (giant sequoia, giant redwood, Sierra redwood, Sierran redwood, or Wellingtonia) is the sole living species in the genus Sequoiadendron, and one of three species of coniferous trees known as redwoods, classified in the family Cupressaceae in the subfamily Sequoioideae, together with Sequoia sempervirens (coast redwood) and Metasequoia glyptostroboides (dawn redwood). The common use of the name "sequoia" generally refers to Sequoiadendron, which occurs naturally only in groves on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California.
The genus Sequoiadendron includes a single extinct species, S. chaneyi.
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