Are the redwoods along the coast different from the redwoods found in the Sierras?

Yes, the coast redwood and the Sierra redwood are two different species of trees. They are related to each other, however, since both are members of the taxonomic Family called "Taxodiacae."

  The coast redwood, (Sequoia sempervirens) which means "ever-green" or "ever-living," is the species of redwood found throughout Nisene Marks State Park including Marcel's Forest.
  The Sierra redwood, (Sequoiadendron giganteum) also called "Bigtree," is found only on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The best place to see these trees is in Sequoia National Park.

What are their differences? See the table below.

Another tree that is closely related to the Coast Redwood and the Sierra Redwood is the metasequoia or Dawn Redwood. Dawn Redwood was thought to have gone extinct until it was found in 1944 in China. It is cultivated today as an ornamental tree. Of the three sequoias (Sequoia sempervirens, Sequoiadendron giganteum and metasequoia), Sequoia sempervirens and Sequoiadendron giganteum are more closely related to each other than either one is to metasequoia.

Scientific Name Sequoia sempervirens Sequoiadendron giganteum
Common Name Coast Redwood Sierra Redwood
Other Names Redwood
  • Bigtree
  • Giant Sequoia
  • Wellingtonia
  • Wellingtonia gigantea
  • Taxodium washingtonianum
  • Sequoia gigantea (This name is still used in botanical literature. For some botanists, it is the preferred scientific name for the Sierra Redwood)
Where it Grows Only along the west coast from southernmost Oregon to the Santa Lucia Mountains in California just south of Monterey Only on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada between Placer County on the north and Tulare County on the south. Seventy-two (72) groves are found in this 250-mile strip, most in Tulare and Fresno counties.
How it Reproduces From root crown sprouts (clones) and seedlings Only from seedlings
Size Considered the tallest tree in the world but not necessarily the biggest Not as tall as the Coast Redwood, but usually contains more wood volume
Height Many over 300 feet Seldom over 300 feet
Prized Example The tallest living redwood is probably the Mendocino Tree at about 367 feet. The location of this tree is not divulged since the site is considered fragile. This tree is about 37 stories high. Consider the fact that the Grand Hyatt Hotel in San Francisco is 36 stories high.

The tallest tree historically reported was the Eureka Tree which was cut in 1914. It supposedly measured 380 feet in height, but the accuracy of that measurement is not known.

 The General Sherman Tree in Sequoia National Park is called the world's largest tree. It is estimated to contain about 600,000 board feet -- enough to build at least 40 five-room houses. It is 274.9 feet in height.
First Recorded History of the Tree By Friar Crespi in 1769 J.R. Walker Party made mention of them in 1833 when passing through the Sierras, but A.T. Dowd was the person that brought attention to them in 1852.
Tolerate Snow and Cold Weather? No. Needs fog to survive. Lives below 3000 foot elevation. Yes. Grows in elevations from 3000 feet to 8900 feet
Commercial Use? Yes. Coast redwood is still sought as a building material since it is resistant to decay, weathering, and harmful insects. Old-growth heartwood is four-times more expensive than heartwood from second-growth stands. Hardly any commercial use today although heavily logged in the late 19th century. The wood is softer and often shatters when felled.
How Many Exist? Estimated to be 10 times more numerous than Sierra redwood due to sprouting from stumps Less numerous than coast redwoods. Almost all groves are government controlled.
Cones Very small. About one inch in length. Much larger than the cones of the Coast Redwood. About the size of an egg
Number of Chromosomes 66 Chromosomes. (Hexaploid, 6n=66) 22 Chromosomes. (Diploid, 2n=22)
Information compiled from:See Works Consulted

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