• Giant Sequoia  (Sequoiadendron giganteum)

Sequoiadendron contains a single species from the Sierra Nevada Mountains of eastern California. This single species is a giant among trees and is considered by many the most massive living organism. Although not the tallest tree in North America, it comes very close. The cones are oblong and woody with diamond shaped cone scales. The leaves are difficult to categorize. The leaves are usually described as needle-like, but they are very short and awl-like and arranged close to the branchlets almost like scales.

The largest individual Giant Sequoia is the General Sherman tree. The General Sherman tree has a height of 250 feet and a diameter near the base of 24.75 feet. The total volume of the tree is 13,260 cubic feet. The trunk of the General Sherman tree weighs almost 1400 tons. By comparison this is equivalent to 15 adult blue whales or 10 train locomotives.

Characteristic Features:

Cones oblong, woody, with diamond shaped cone scales; leaves primarily scale-like or short and awl-like

Trees large with tapering trunks; species limited to the mountains of eastern California, primarily in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.