By Spencer Gross

Sequoia sempervirens

• The S. sempervirens can grow to be up to 375ft tall (That’s taller than the Statue of Liberty!)

• S. sempervirens is indigenous in a very small area of the Pacific Northwest

• The oldest recorded S. sempervirens is 2,200 years old

• The S. sempervirens can grow up to six feet every year

Basic Facts

To Be or Not to Be? That is The…

• Why is the S. sempervirens so tall?• How does the S. sempervirens transport water to

heights of 375 ft?• Why is the S. sempervirens indigenous to such a

relatively small geographic area? • How can a S. sempervirens live 2,200 + years?• What is the human impact on the S.

sempervirens ?• How do baby S. sempervirens manage to grow in

the shade caused by mature S. sempervirens ?

Why So Tall?

• As long a tree lives it continues to grow (Long Lifespan = Height)

• High growth rate (Up to 6ft a year)

• The S. sempervirens can condense Fog in the summer and make its own rain

• The Fog that the S. sempervirens depends on for water only occurs in a small area

• Usually resides between 30-750m above Sea Level

• This is the 450 mile long and 30 mile wide area of the Pacific Northwest that the S. sempervirens are indigenous to

• The S. sempervirens used to inhabit the entire Pacific Coast and those of Europe and Asia as well, until the last Ice Age

Location, Location, Location

The Answer is Garlic

• The S. sempervirens does not go through the process of Senescence

• When a S. sempervirens dies naturally it is through things such as Fires, Flooding, High Winds, etc

• Old S. sempervirens are somewhat fire retardant because of their thick bark

• However younger trees are much more susceptible to fire and other forms of death

• Water that is collected from the roots of the tree must travel 350+ ft against Gravity

• Since water is polar, water cohesion exists• When water evaporates it pulls the water

behind it upwards• This forms a chain bringing the water from

the bottom to the top of the tree

H2O

• …have destroyed 95% of the original Redwood Forest through logging and development

• …have started forest fires which have destroyed entire new generations of Redwoods

We The People…

It’s Cooler in the Shade

• Young S. sempervirens are 3 to 4 times more efficient with sunlight than the average tree

• Only 15% of S. sempervirens seeds are viable

• Very few S. sempervirens seeds actually start to grow

• It would take 120,000 S. sempervirens seeds to make 1lb

Mutations and Natural Selection

• Albino Redwoods are S. sempervirens that are unable to make their own Chlorophyll

• They Survive as Parasites attaching themselves to other Redwoods

• They can grow up to 60ft in height