Redwoods in UK Doing Well

[MarkD]

I just recently came across this article online:

Giant redwoods: World’s largest trees 'thriving in UK'

It made me think of some Giant Sequoias I saw when we visited the UK in 2008.

These are the largest trees by mass on the planet, leastwise the ones growing in the our Sierras where they've had the requisite millennia to attain full size. But an alee of them grown in a garden setting at Compton Verney for a century and a half is also mighty impressive.

My own photos from there are not that impressive but those that I've linked are better.

It wasn't on my list of gardens to see but fortunately they also have a well thought of art collection and had a show up that Lia was keen to see. So I was lucky to stumble on to them.

Tree Facts – Wellingtonia at Compton Verney

Here is another link to a bit on the very largest of the clan and largest tree in the world.

General Sherman, the biggest tree in the world

 

[Magna-Carta]

The first Redwood I ever saw, or rather a small slice of one, was in the Natural History Museum in London. Also known as The Mark Twain Tree, it was cut down in 1891. Apparently, there is a slice of the same tree in the American Museum of Natural History, NY.

According to the Natural History Museum in London, this tree was 1300 years old and stood at a height of 101 meters (330ft).

Natural History Museum, London.


Photo I took on my phone last year of a smallish Redwood in the English Midlands, Derbyshire.

 

[Murrmurr]

I've visited the General Sherman a number of times. Took my kids to see it, and they've taken their kids.

The national forestry service feared losing the General Sherman during the big wildfires a few years ago, so they wrapped him up in fireproof blankets and kept vigil over him for days on end.

I didn't know there are redwoods in the UK.

 

[Hackney]

Awe inspiring. If those trees could talk…

 

[Lawrence00]

Visited Avenue of the Giants.
https://avenueofthegiants.net/

 

[Remy]

It's a travesty what was done to the Redwoods in this country.

 

[MarkD]

The first Redwood I ever saw, or rather a small slice of one, was in the Natural History Museum in London. Also known as The Mark Twain Tree, it was cut down in 1891. Apparently, there is a slice of the same tree in the American Museum of Natural History, NY.

According to the Natural History Museum in London, this tree was 1300 years old and stood at a height of 101 meters (330ft).

Natural History Museum, London.
View attachment 340560

Photo I took on my phone last year of a smallish Redwood in the English Midlands, Derbyshire.
View attachment 340571

The first redwood I ever saw was also a slice of one but at the natural history museum in San Diego, California. Recently I went looking for one in the Oakland hills known as the Grandfather Tree or Old Survivor. The largest and tallest of these trees ever seen by Europeans were found in this area. But all but one was cut down to build San Francisco and after the fire following the 1906 earthquake the stumps were harvested to rebuild. None of these coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) alive today is anywhere near 30 feet in diameter so you have to wonder how tall those might have gotten.

The video at this site describes the history of the Coast Redwoods near San Francisco Bay and describes the last surviving redwood in the are older than 200 years.

https://interactive.wttw.com/urbann...t more than,tree that was miraculously spared.

 

[MarkD]

It's a travesty what was done to the Redwoods in this country.

Completely agree. Something that takes thousands of years to grown can be completely cut down. Even though the tree will often grow back it isn't likely to ever reach mature stature again now that their fate is in our hands.

 

[hollydolly]

We've always understood that Redwoods couldn't thrive in the UK, so I'm delighted to see differently.

The 2 sites where they can be viewed are Scotland... and Greater London. Unfortunately for me, the park where they grow.. is about 40 miles from me in a park where there is No parking allowed and nowhere close by to be able to park a car as it's a residential area and used mainly for local dog walkers . So my initial excitement in discovering they were not far from me has been dulled knowing I can't go and visit...shame !

 

[Brookswood]

Lots of sequoia trees in some of the parks and forested areas near me. They are not the giants of the Pacific coast but they are impressive trees. By the way, Sierra is already plural. It means “mountain range”. No need to put an ‘s’ at the end. I have visited the Sierra many many times. It’s quite beautiful.

 

[MarkD]

Lots of sequoia trees in some of the parks and forested areas near me. They are not the giants of the Pacific coast but they are impressive trees. By the way, Sierra is already plural. It means “mountain range”. No need to put an ‘s’ at the end. I have visited the Sierra many many times. It’s quite beautiful.

We got married in Yosemite valley to have reason to visit regularly, but it isn’t anything we do any more. The last time we were there it was nearly impossible to park at all once found a place we left tge car there and found other ways to get around. Don’t think we’ll do that again.

 

[Remy]

We got married in Yosemite valley to have reason to visit regularly, but it isn’t anything we do any more. The last time we were there it was nearly impossible to park at all once found a place we left tge car there and found other ways to get around. Don’t think we’ll do that again.

I've never been to Yosemite. Pretty pathetic but we never did anything growing up.

I don't think I'll ever go there because of what I have heard about the crowds. I'd like to at least see Lake Tahoe or Lake Almanor some day.