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NATIVE IN THE CITY

INFORMATION ABOUT THE VALUE AND USE OF NATIVE PLANTS IN GARDENING

THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2008

Growing Redwoods in Atlanta?

Recently my husband has been suffering with a frozen shoulder. As is typical with such maladies, the treatment may be
worst than the illness. However, typical of living with me, his interactions in the world provide fodder for my columns.
This week he came home from physical therapy with a question. Someone at the clinic wanted to know, “Can you grow a
Redwood in Atlanta, Georgia?”

Of course my first thought, and question was, “Did you mean Redbud?” A Redbud is a lovely understory tree that does
very well in Atlanta – both as a tree for wild habitat restoration, and as a street tree.

“No”, he responded. “They want to grow a giant Redwood tree, like the ones in California.” Well this seemed a pretty Get $75 Free
unlikely candidate to me. Even if you could grow such a tree here, would you want to? I thought I had better do some Advertising
research before I responded. Here is what I found out. Try Google AdWords.
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Where do they grow in the wild? www.Google.com/AdWords
Unlike many North American trees such as Oak Quercus L. and Maple
Acer L., of which one species or another grow natively in virtually every
state, the two species we think of as Redwoods (both Redwood Sequoia
sempervirens known as the California coast redwood, and Giant sequoia
Sequoiadendron giganteum also known as the Sierra redwood) only TwitThis
grow in a very small region of the west coast. Add to Technorati Favorites
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S. sempervirens is found in a narrow band along the coast of Northern network
California and Southern Oregon, and S. giganteum grows only on the The Internet Public Library
west slope of the Sierra Nevada in California.

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Does this mean that they can’t grow elsewhere?

Apparently not. According to the website of the American Park Network,
which provides information about Sequoia and Kings Canyon national ABOUT ME AND NATIVE PLANTS

parks, fossil remains indicated that these trees grew worldwide prior to Kay Stephenson is a transplant to
the last ice age. Georgia from the St. Lawrence
River valley of New York. An avid
Welker's Grove Nursery in Auberry California is actively growing and gardener, she served on the board
shipping saplings all over the country. They recommend the Giant Sequoia especially as a good tree for privacy screens of the Georgia Native Plant
and windbreaks. In containers, they can be maintained at a manageable size, using bonsai techniques of root and branch Society and advocates for the use
pruning. However, the climate of North American is substantially different than it was 175 million years ago. To grow of native plants through several
these trees successfully outside of their current native habitat will require some effort. other park and greenspace
organizations like Piedmont Park
What do these plants need to thrive? Conservancy. Georgia Gardening
The Redwood forests in northern California thrive on the cool moist fog belt of the region. Giant Sequoia grow in a small has published several of her
articles. In the interest of full
region on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada range, which is constantly watered by mountain run-off, streams and
disclosure, her own gardens are
springs. Both species require deep well drained soil and plenty of moisture. This means that in the Piedmont region of
not exclusively native, but she is
Georgia where I live, the clayey soil would require substantial amendment.
working on it.
A freelance writer and fiber artist,
In addition to soil requirements, they are very susceptible to drought and drying from wind. Unlike many plants that
Kay lives in Atlanta, Ga with her
prefer a good soaking followed by a chance to dry out, these require constant moist soil. On the other hand, they can not
husband, Mark, and her dog,
tolerate standing in water, or mud, so planting on a riverbank is not a good solution. In our region, it seems the only way Lady.
to ensure adequate moisture will be with irrigation, and probably with its own separate zone and different watering
schedule than you other plants.
GEORGIA GARDENING MAGAZINE
ARTICLES
If growing in a container, you should be aware that these trees can suck up all of the moisture in less than a day, and
once the roots start to wither, you are sunk. A Tree Grows In Atlanta
Historic Oakland
What to expect Native in the City
Compared to our southern Longleaf pine Pinus palustris or Loblolly pine Pinus taeda with heights 120 and 100 feet On Becoming a Native Plant
respectively, the redwoods are giants. Giant Sequoia will grow to 200 feet at maturity with a 40 foot base. Redwood will Gardener
reach 250 feet with a 22 foot base and is generally thought to be the tallest tree in the world. Specimens of both have Creating a Garden in the Woods
been found in the wild that far exceed these dimensions. In addition, you can expect growth of 5 feet or more in height
Georgia Gardening Magazine Link
per year!

The Giant Sequoia is not as tall but more broad MORE KAY STEPHENSON BLOGS
than the Redwood, and in terms of volume
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(height and girth), this is the largest living
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organism on earth.
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Stitching Times

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In addition to providing several of the ▼ 2008 (10)
specimens on the world largest tree list (the
largest living sequoia is 275 feet tall and 32 feet ▼ March (1)
in diameter) these trees are also the longest Spring Ephemeral Plant
lived. Some have been estimated at 2,000 to Profile: Rue anemone
3,000 years old.
(Thali...
What’s in a name? ▶ February (4)
Sequoia is named for a man with the same name (sometimes spelled Sequoyah) who was the son of a Britich merchant Spring Ephemeral Plant
and a Cherokee woman and also the inventor of the Cherokee alphabet. Sempervirens is from the latin “semper”
meaning always and “vivere” to live. Thus it means evergreen. Profile: Trout lily
(Erythr...
The Giant Sequoia’s scientific name of Sequoiadendron is derived from Sequoia and the Greek “dendron” meaning tree The Best of Spring
and giganteum meaning huge.
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Think you would like to give these giants a try? Learn more about growing giant sequoias in your landscape and about Georgia Gardening Articles
growing them in containers.
Online
POSTED BY KAY STEPH EN SON AT 1 2 : 3 0 PM
▶ January (5)
Growing Redwoods in
Atlanta?
1 COMMENTS: What is a Native?
CREATING YOUR GARDEN
Kay Stehenson said...
IN THE WOODS
I received this interesting note from Joe Welker at Welker's Grove Nursery just after publishing the article. If this
Plants of the Okefenokee
doesn't encourage you to give it a try, nothing will...
Swamp
Georgia Acid Lovers
Hi Kay,

Thank you for the note and the link to your blog. I read it with great interest. I can tell that you and I share a love for
USEFUL LINKS AND RESOURCES
plants and nature.
Forestry Images - UGA & USDA
You are welcome to use any of my writings. Keep in mind that most of my writings are the results of my own Forest Service
observations and not just a compilation of researched articles. I found early on that much of what is written about the USDA Plants Database
giant sequoias with regards to their needs is not accurate. Because of my love for the species and my desire to see it Georgia Native Plant Society
flourish for all time I have endeavored to discover the truth and share it with the world. My discoveries are a work in Invasive Plants of the Eastern
progress. I am still making minor changes to some of my recommendations from time to time. United States
Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council
One of my observations is that gardeners in the west have better luck with the giant sequoias than do gardeners in the
east. One might jump to the conclusion that the east is less hospitable to the species. I believe that to be false. The reason
they do better in the west is because western gardeners have irrigation skills and eastern gardeners generally do not.
Once your drought has ended there will still be times when the ground is too dry to sustain the giant sequoias. It takes
some hand watering at least to get them established. The species is designed to live for 3000 years. When the young
ones land in ground that will not sustain them for 3000 years they simply die. Once you get some age on them they will
better endure droughts. They do not require more water than ordinary trees until they become huge. They do however
require consistently moist soil when young.

I think all settings are appropriate for planting the giant sequoias. I would for instance not say to someone with a small
yard that you cannot enjoy the world’s most awesome tree species because of the size of your yard. There are certainly as
you suggest more appropriate locations than small yards. Parks, botanical gardens, and large landscape gardens are as
you suggest a better location for seeing the big trees grow up to their potential.

The giant sequoias are native to the western slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. That is not because of the exposure
but rather the conditions including deep rich soil and ample moisture that exist there in the relatively small areas where
the groves are located. What slope you choose to plant them on is not a factor and neither is elevation.
Here in the Sierras we mix our existing clay topsoil with no more than 50% forest humus and add a balanced fertilizer.
That will keep the soil loose and reduce the chances of the soil remaining waterlogged.

Thank you for considering putting in a good word for the giant sequoias in spite of the fact that they are not, according
to definition, a native. You would have to go back about 35 million years to consider the Sequoiadendron a native to
what is now the southeastern US. I think that any plant that makes you stand back and go “Wow” is well worth having in
your garden as long as it is not an invasive species.

Thanks again,

Joe Welker

Welker's Grove Nursery

42170 Cedar Springs Road
Auberry, California 93602
www.giant-sequoia.com
(559) 855-3521
JANUARY 31, 2008 1:55 PM

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