# Sequoia (*Sequoiadendron giganteum*)

Sequoias are giant trees that can live for thousands of years. They have thick reddish bark and can grow as tall as a 26-story building!

- **Category:** [Trees](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/tree)
- **Rarity:** Rare
- **Danger:** 2/5 · Low
- **Snaps:** 30
- **Habitat:** Mountain regions
- **Also known as:** Giant Sequoia, Sierra Redwood, Wellingtonia

![Sequoia](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426193/objects/6403.jpg)

## Appearance

The Sequoia is a towering giant, often sporting a reddish-brown, deeply furrowed bark that can be meters thick. Its canopy is conical, covered in tiny, scale-like, bluish-green leaves, making it visually distinct from most other conifers.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Pinopsida
- **Order:** Pinales
- **Family:** Cupressaceae
- **Genus:** Sequoiadendron

## Interesting facts

- Imagine driving your car through a tunnel carved inside a fallen Sequoia log!
- Its reddish wood resists decay, making fallen logs last for many centuries.
- Sequoia seeds are as tiny as an oat flake, but grow into colossal trees.
- The largest Sequoia, General Sherman, is the biggest living thing on Earth by volume!

## Special abilities

- **Fire Shield Bark:** Sequoia has incredibly thick, fibrous bark that helps it survive scorching wildfires, protecting its vital inner layers.
- **Giant's Resilience:** Sequoia can live for over 3,000 years, growing to immense sizes thanks to its robust structure and slow, steady growth.
- **Fire-Starter Seeds:** Sequoia's cones often need heat from fire to open and release their seeds, helping new trees sprout after a blaze.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 50-95 m
- **Spread:** 10-20 m
- **Edible:** No
- **Size:** 600-1100 cm
- **Lifespan:** 2000-3200 years
- **Fruit Type:** Cone
- **Growth Rate:** Medium
- **Leaf Type:** Evergreen

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — Browses on young Sequoia seedlings.
- **Eats:** [Western Gray Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-gray-squirrel) (*Sciurus griseus*) — Feeds on seeds from Sequoia cones.
- **Shelter:** Spotted Owl (*Strix occidentalis*) — Nests in the cavities of old-growth Sequoia trees.
- **Shelter:** American Black Bear (*Ursus americanus*) — Uses hollowed-out Sequoia trunks as dens.

## Traits

- [Coniferous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coniferous): Coniferous plants are typically evergreen, bearing needles or scales and reproductive cones.
- [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once.
- [Mountain](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/mountain): This habitat trait identifies species found in mountainous regions, characterized by high elevation, steep slopes, and varying climate zones.
- [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind.
- [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment.

## Collections

- [Trees](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/trees)

## Safety

**Danger:** 2/5 · Low

Enjoy the beauty of sequoias from a safe distance and be careful around their large roots.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Sequoia?

Compare leaves or needles, how they attach to the twig, buds, bark and the shape of the crown. Lobed leaves are useful clues, but several unrelated trees share a similar outline. Tree Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Sequoia?

50-95 m

### How wide does Sequoia spread?

10-20 m

### Is Sequoia edible?

No

### How big is Sequoia?

600-1100 cm

### How long does Sequoia live?

2000-3200 years

### Where is Sequoia usually found?

Mountain regions

### What kind of fruit does Sequoia produce?

Cone

## Where to spot

- [Alder Creek Grove](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/alder-creek-grove) — California, US · Forest
- [Coker Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/coker-arboretum-north-carolina) — North Carolina, US · Zoo
- [Atwell Mill Grove](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/atwell-mill-grove) — California, US · Forest
- [Black Mountain Grove](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/black-mountain-grove) — California, US · Forest
- [Generals' Highway Stone Bridges](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/generals-highway-stone-bridges) — California, US · Historic District
- [Giant Forest Lodge Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/giant-forest-lodge-historic-district) — California, US · Historic District

[View all places to see Sequoia](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/sequoia)

## More Trees

- [English Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/english-oak) (*Quercus robur*)
- [Sessile Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sessile-oak) (*Quercus petraea*)
- [Northern Red Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-red-oak) (*Quercus rubra*)
- [White Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-oak) (*Quercus alba*)

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Source: [Sequoia: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sequoia)