The term “sequoia” refers to two distinct species: the Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) and the Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens). These trees hold the records for the world’s largest and tallest living things, respectively. Their physical appearance is defined by their immense scale and unique adaptations. Understanding what a sequoia looks like requires a detailed examination of its overall shape, its reddish bark, and the structure of its foliage and reproductive cones.
Immense Scale and Silhouette
The most striking feature of a sequoia is its sheer size. The Coast Redwood is the tallest, frequently reaching heights well over 300 feet, with the known tallest specimens exceeding 380 feet. These trees maintain a relatively slender, conical, or spire-like profile, particularly when growing in dense groves where they compete for sunlight. Mature Coast Redwoods often appear straight and columnar, with their lower branches dropping off as they age, leaving a tall, clear trunk.
The Giant Sequoia is the largest tree on Earth by wood volume, possessing a massive, bulbous trunk that gives it an overwhelmingly bulky appearance. While slightly shorter than the Coast Redwood, typically reaching heights of 250 to 300 feet, their basal diameter can be enormous, often exceeding 20 feet and sometimes over 40 feet at the base. Younger Giant Sequoias exhibit a classic pyramidal or conical shape, with branches sweeping down to the ground. As the tree matures, it loses its lower branches, and its crown becomes more rounded, irregular, and dome-like, giving it a distinct, rugged profile.
Distinctive Bark and Trunk
The trunk of a sequoia is encased in a thick, fibrous bark recognizable by its warm, reddish-brown color. This bark often features deep furrows and ridges, giving it a rugged, rope-like texture. The color is frequently described as cinnamon-brown or terracotta, a shade that gives both species their common “redwood” name and stands out vividly in the forest.
The bark feels spongy or soft to the touch due to its lack of resin. On mature trees, the bark can reach thicknesses of up to a foot or more, especially near the base. This non-resinous, thick bark makes the sequoia highly resistant to fire, allowing these giants to survive the periodic wildfires. The base of the trunk often flares out significantly, particularly in the Coast Redwood, creating a wide, stable anchor for the immense weight above.
Foliage and Reproductive Structures
The Giant Sequoia features small, awl-shaped leaves that are blue-green and sharp-pointed. These scale-like leaves are densely packed and pressed close to the twig, giving the branches a robust, somewhat prickly feel.
The Coast Redwood possesses flat, needle-like leaves that are arranged in two distinct ranks on the branchlets, creating a flattened, fern-like spray. Both trees produce small, woody cones. Giant Sequoia cones are egg-shaped and measure about one and three-quarters to three and a half inches long, while the Coast Redwood cone is much smaller, usually only about three-quarters to one and a quarter inches long.
Visual Differences Between Sequoia Types
The most immediate distinction is in their overall structure: the Coast Redwood is defined by its extreme height and slenderness, whereas the Giant Sequoia is characterized by its massive girth and bulk. A Giant Sequoia appears stout and conical, with a trunk that tapers dramatically, while a Coast Redwood appears tall and straight, with a more parallel-sided trunk.
The foliage also differs. The Coast Redwood has flat, linear needles that are arranged in sprays, giving the crown a softer, feathery texture. The Giant Sequoia has small, pointed, awl-shaped leaves that are tightly appressed to the stem, resulting in a spikier appearance. Finally, the bark color, though reddish for both, has subtle variation; the Giant Sequoia’s bark is often a brighter, richer cinnamon-brown, while the Coast Redwood’s bark tends toward a slightly duller, more chocolatey maroon.