Product Description

Species Name: Sequoia -- from the Cherokee Indian chief Sequoyah sempervirens -- from the Latin meaning "always green" Family Name: Taxodiacae, often called the deciduous cypress family Relatives: The coast redwood has only two close relatives. The shorter but more massive giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) grows only in California's Sierra Nevada Mountains. The deciduous dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides), a veritable midget at 115 feet in height, is found native only in a remote area of central China. Location: Although Sequoia sempervirens have been cultivated elsewhere, this tree naturally achieves its majestic heights and lush groves only in one place in the world -- a 450-mile strip along the Pacific Coast of North America, beginning in southern Oregon and ending just south of Monterey, California. The trees prosper in this mild climate zone, where winter rains and summer fog provide an even temperature and a high level of year-round moisture. The trees inhabit sheltered, well-watered places of rich soil as far inland from the Pacific Ocean as the fog drift -- seldom more than 20 miles -- and up the coastal mountainsides to about 2,000 feet elevation. Age: The oldest verified redwood tree is at least 2,200 years of age, but foresters believe that some may be much older. Size: The coast redwoods are the tallest living species on Earth. Often they can reach heights of 300-350 feet and diameters of 16-18 feet. More than a dozen trees exceeding 360 feet in height are now growing along the California coast. Redwoods are also renowned for their extremely high volume of standing biomass, in some stands exceeding 3,500 metric tons/hectacre.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #34497 in Lawn & Patio
• Brand: Hirts: Seed; Trees & Shrubs

Features

• Species Name: Sequoia -- from the Cherokee Indian chief Sequoyah
• Family Name: Taxodiacae, often called the deciduous cypress family
• Often they can reach heights of 300-350 feet and diameters of 16-18 feet.
• 50 Seeds

Customer Reviews

High quality seeds
These seeds were purchased early in August 2008. When they arrived all 50 seeds were immediately sowed. This is important because the seeds remain viable for only a few months and I had no information as to when the seeds were extracted.

Redwood seeds have a viability rate of less than 15%. That would mean of the 50 seeds only about 8 would germinate. So sowing only 5 seeds would be gambling against the odds. However, within three weeks 15 of the 50 seeds had germinated which is twice the expected rate!

These seeds were sowed in a very shallow container using potting soil (as opposed to seeding soil) with slight acidity. (I used Scotts, African Violet Potting Mix.) The slight acidity will not inhibit germination. The soil was also kept very damp because redwoods require LOTS of water. They were kept indoors with a steady temperature range between 60-70F and out of any direct sunlight.

Anyone expecting redwoods to be low-maintenance should probably look for another species of tree. They require frequent watering, high-humidity, and warm temperatures to thrive. Seedlings don't require much sunlight, however. Also, as the tree grows the root system spreads out to cover a large surface area to support its own height so wide spaces are necessary. (In other words, I wouldn't plant a redwood near the foundation of a house if I wanted that house still standing there hundreds of years later.) This wouldn't be a problem if it will be trained as bonsai.

Still trying to grow.
Pros: lots of seeds included. Cheap.
Cons: very sparse packaging, needs more instructional material. The tiny slip of paper provided is insufficient for those of us who aren't experts in exotic trees. Seriously, print out a page of detailed instructions, fold it up, and slip it in the bag - I would pay an extra quarter for that information. These trees are obscure so it's hard to find information on them.

I planted five seeds as I wanted to save the rest and only wanted one tree. However, none grew. I watered it every other day but perhaps this was not enough. I would know if it came with better instructions. I plan to try again in a ziploc bag with wet paper towel like back when I was a little kid in science class.