Redwood trees, though native to California and parts of Oregon, are found in various locations across Washington State. Their presence is due to intentional planting in parks, arboretums, and other landscapes, as they do not occur naturally here.
Understanding Redwood Species
The term “redwood” typically refers to three distinct conifer species within the cypress family (Cupressaceae): Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum), and Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides). Coast Redwoods are the tallest living trees on Earth, native to a narrow coastal strip from southwestern Oregon down through central California, thriving in humid, foggy conditions. Their needles are flat, feathery, about 0.5 to 0.75 inches long, and arranged in flat sprays, with reddish-brown, deeply furrowed bark.
Giant Sequoias, native to the western slopes of California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, are the most massive trees by volume and can live for thousands of years. These trees feature short, scale-like, bluish-green needles, typically 0.25 to 0.5 inches long, that feel prickly to the touch. Their reddish-brown bark is notably fibrous, spongy, and very thick, while their cones are woody, egg-shaped, and measure 2 to 3 inches in length. The Dawn Redwood, a deciduous conifer, is unique among the redwoods as it sheds its needles annually and is native to central China. Its linear, feathery needles, less than 1 inch long, are arranged oppositely on shoots and turn a russet or bronze color in the fall, complementing its reddish, stringy bark and small, ellipsoidal cones.
Redwood Presence in Washington
Redwood trees in Washington State are non-native, cultivated specimens. Their natural range extends only to southern Oregon, so any redwoods found further north were intentionally introduced. These planted trees are visible in various public and private settings.
Notable locations include the University of Washington campus in Seattle, Tacoma’s Chinese Reconciliation Park (hosting both Coast and Dawn Redwoods), the Washington State Capitol Campus in Olympia, and Port Angeles City Pier Park. While Washington’s climate differs from their native habitats, these planted redwoods generally adapt and grow well as ornamental trees. However, they may not reach the immense sizes seen in their natural ranges.
Distinguishing Redwoods from Native Washington Trees
Identifying redwoods from Washington’s native conifers like Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar, and Sitka Spruce involves observing their specific features. The unique characteristics of Coast Redwoods, Giant Sequoias, and Dawn Redwoods, as described previously, help distinguish them.
In contrast, Douglas Fir trees have soft, pointed needles arranged spirally around the twig, and their cones feature distinctive three-pointed bracts resembling “mouse tails.” Western Red Cedars are identified by their flat, scale-like leaves in fan-like sprays, which emit a pineapple scent when crushed, and their stringy, reddish-brown bark. Sitka Spruce trees have stiff, sharp, four-sided needles that grow from woody pegs, and their bark is greyish-brown and flaky. Understanding these specific characteristics helps differentiate the introduced redwoods from the region’s long-established native tree species.