Sequoia sempervirens
Trees & Shrubs

Coast Redwood

Sequoia sempervirens

Coast Redwood · Light: Partial sun · Water: High. Typical planning ranges from OpenPlantDB (CC0). Cultivar, climate, season and growing method can change these values. Confirm the seed label and local guidance before planting.

LightPartial sun
WaterHigh
DifficultyModerate
CategoryTrees & Shrubs
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Climate matters. This page is a practical baseline. Confirm cultivar, local frost/heat conditions, mature size and regional restrictions before planting.

Coast Redwood — Growing reference

Scientific nameSequoia sempervirens
Seed germination (days)14–30
Soil temperature for germination (°C)12.8–22.2
First harvest or flowering (days)1095–3650
Measured fromTransplant
Plant spacing (cm)914.4–1828.8
Mature height (cm)3657.6–10972.8
Mature spread (cm)609.6–1219.2
USDA hardiness zones7–10
LightPartial sun
WaterHigh
Sowing methodCutting

Growing directions

Plant rooted cuttings or container-grown trees in spring in well-drained, slightly acidic, deep, moisture-retentive, fertile loamy soil in full sun to partial shade; coast redwood is the world's tallest living tree — the tallest known individual (Hyperion in Redwood National Park) reaches 380 feet. Native to the fog belt of the California and Oregon coast, coast redwood is uniquely adapted to harvest water from fog directly through its needles, supplementing root-absorbed water in the dry California summer. Remarkably fast-growing for such a large tree — growth of 3–5 feet per year is common in ideal conditions in zones 8–10. Distinct from giant sequoia in being taller but much slimmer, with flat needles arranged in two ranks (like yew), and in its ability to sprout vigorously from the base after cutting or fire. Widely planted in California, the Pacific Northwest, and milder parts of the world (Ireland, New Zealand, the UK). Cutting-propagated plants from named selections are more reliable for garden planting than seed-grown trees.

Source and local conditions

Typical planning ranges from OpenPlantDB (CC0). Cultivar, climate, season and growing method can change these values. Confirm the seed label and local guidance before planting.

OpenPlantDB · coast-redwood

Source & verification

OpenPlantDB · CC0

Open reference source ↗