At 06:38 PM 7/21/03 -0500, Alan Walker wrote:
Brent: What are the key differences to look for in identifying or
distinguishing
Sequoia sempervirens (Coast Redwood), Sequoiadendron giganteum (Giant
Sequoia), and
Metasequoia glyptostrobides (Dawn Redwood) from each other?
Alan
I will throw in another one, Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum). Bald
Cypress and Dawn redwood are quite difficult to tell apart unless you work
with them all the time as I do. The foliage of Bald Cypress is much
smaller and finer than Dawn redwood, but unless they are side by side, this
isn't much help. The definitive test between the two is that the leaflets
of Dawn redwood are opposite, but those of Bald Cypress are alternate.
The definitive test between the above two and the Sequoias is that the
Cypresses are both deciduous while the the two redwoods are evergreen.
Telling Sequoia and Coast Redwood apart is not too difficult. Sequoia has
needle like foliage that surrounds the twigs, while the foliage of Coast
Redwood is mostly flat in opposite needles in a plane. An interesting story
about the foliage of Redwoods: Susie and I visited a virgin grove some
years ago after a windstorm. The ground was littered with what appeared to
be Sequoia foliage, but there wasn't a native Sequoia within 200 miles. The
answer turned out to be that the foliage we all associate with Redwoods is
apparently juvenile foliage. Adult foliage only occurs on trees that are
taller than about 100 feet and it only occurs on the upper reaches. All the
lower foliage is juvenile (flat). Another clue that these two species are
actually closely related despite the fact that they are now listed in
separate genera.
Brent in Northern California
Evergreen Gardenworks USDA Zone 8 Sunset Zone 14
http://www.EvergreenGardenworks.com
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