A coniferous tree native to a narrow band of the western slope of the Sierra Nevada in California, and the most massive living tree species on Earth by trunk volume, though not the tallest or the oldest. Giant sequoias can live more than 3,000 years and grow bark up to a meter thick, which, along with a chemical resistant to insects and fungal decay, gives mature trees strong protection from fire; the species in fact depends on periodic low-intensity fire, whose heat opens its cones and clears competing vegetation so its seeds can reach bare mineral soil. Decades of fire suppression in the twentieth century reduced this natural regeneration, and unusually severe modern wildfires have killed a meaningful share of the largest old-growth trees in a handful of recent fire seasons.
Facts
Classification
DietPhotosynthetic Autotroph 1 System (Realm) Relationship to PeopleInvasive or Introduced Species 3 Relationship to PeopleSource of Timber or Wood 4 Living or ExtinctDerived from this species' own Conservation Status: this atlas's IUCN category list has no Extinct value, so a set conservation-status is itself evidence of living status. Scientific NameSequoiadendron giganteum 7 Conservation StatusIUCN Red List, assessed by Schmid, R. and Farjon, A. in 2013, the same assessor pairing already cited on this atlas's Coast Redwood entity. Fewer than 80,000 giant sequoias remain, confined to a narrow band of the Sierra Nevada. Population Estimate Comparison
NatureServe Rank CITES Appendix Connections
Child Taxon Of
Source Wikidata: Giant Sequoia
Demonstrates
Source Encyclopaedia Britannica
Source Encyclopaedia Britannica
Giant sequoia cones are serotinous: they typically stay closed on the tree for years and require the heat of fire to open fully and release their seeds onto a bare, nutrient-rich, competitor-cleared seedbed, making the species one of the clearest examples of a plant requiring wildfire to reproduce.
Source Encyclopaedia Britannica
In Biome
Source Encyclopaedia Britannica
Source Encyclopaedia Britannica
In the Other Atlases
Originated In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject originated.
Found In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Sources
1. Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.https://www.britannica.com/plant/giant-sequoia
The giant sequoia has uniformly scalelike or awl-shaped leaves that lie close against the branches and scaleless winter buds.
- Demonstrates: Photosynthesis
- In Biome: Temperate Forest
- Demonstrates: Carbon Cycle
- Demonstrates: Wildfire
- In Biome: Temperate Coniferous Forest
View the Source 2. World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)
3. Sequoiadendron giganteum (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationConservation and History section, references
The giant sequoia is listed as an endangered species by the IUCN with fewer than 80,000 remaining in its native California.
Introduced range
They are native to the groves on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California but have been introduced, planted, and grown around the world.
View the Source 4. Plants For A Future: Sequoiadendron giganteum plant record
Plants For A FutureOther Uses (Wood)Quote, Other Uses (Wood)
Wood - coarse-grained, very light, soft, very durable, rather brittle.
5. NatureServe Explorer: Sequoiadendron giganteum
NatureServe ExplorerGlobal rank (roundedGRank)Quote, Global rank (roundedGRank)
"roundedGRank": "G3"
6. UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat): Species+: Pinales
UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat)Species+ taxon_concepts, id 12387Quote, Species+ taxon_concepts, id 12387
"cites_listing":"I/II/III/NC","eu_listing":"A/B/C/NC","higher_taxa":{"kingdom":"Plantae","phylum":null,"class":null,"order":"Pinales","family":null},"synonyms":[],"common_names":[],"cites_listings":[]
7. Encyclopedia of Life
8. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Giant Sequoia Fact Sheet (PBS Nature)
Conservation, Threats sectionQuote, Conservation, Threats section
While a number of giant sequoias groves were cut down in the past, this practice happens less now.
Wikidata: Giant Sequoia
- Wikidata Q149851, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)
- Child Taxon Of: Sequoiadendron, Wikidata parent-taxon (P171) chain
View the SourceUNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat): Species+: Cupressaceae
UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat)Species+ taxon_concepts, id 12528Quote, Species+ taxon_concepts, id 12528
"cites_listing":"I/II/NC","eu_listing":"A/B/NC","higher_taxa":{"kingdom":"Plantae","phylum":null,"class":null,"order":"Pinales","family":"Cupressaceae"},"synonyms":[],"common_names":[{"name":"Alerce, cipreses","language":"ES"},{"name":"Alerce, cypresses","language":"EN"},{"name":"Fleur du Saint-Esprit, cyprès","language":"FR"},{"name":"柏科","language":"ZH"}],"cites_listings":[]
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