PlantFiles: Coast Redwood
Sequoia sempervirens

I'm helping a friend with her landscape in Hillborough, CA (Santa Clara County). She has a huge redwood in her backyard and wants an adjacent pathway. (There isn't too much other space for a path and she doesn't like walking on the redwood roots). She wants flagstone for the path. I don't think this is a good idea because the ground will have to be leveled beneath the flagstone and this may damage the redwood roots. I'm suggesting gravel lined with stone. Any advice? Thanks!

Beautiful trees. Visited Redwood National and State Parks in California in August 2009. Afterwards, had to try growing them in my native NJ on my parents property.

Ordered two seedlings from Forest Farm, planted them in early November 2009. They survived the winter in west-central NJ, and are growing at present (though for some reason the top of one of them died in May after starting to grow; however its now re-sprouting from the base). Also planted a couple more this spring; they seem alright so far too.

We'll see what they can really handle...

This plant will survive in Zone 7B but may brown out in colder winters but will refoliate by May.It is not
the most attractive from January to May here but looks
attractive the rest of the year. It grows rapidly.

I've actually successfully grown these in my area for the last 10 years. They don't like the dryness though, but they've put up with the cold at 5,500 feet above sea level.

How has this tree managed to live millions of years ? with its narrow temperature growing range ? I have purchased some and I have planted some in the ground, Lets see if they can withstand a Maryland Winter.

The Coast Redwood and all its large cultivars (Aptos Blue, Filoli, Los Altos, Simpson Silver, etc.) grow fantastically well in the SE U.S. I have planted over a dozen in my yard in Athens, GA (slowly replacing the very boring native oaks) and they are all growing at least 3 feet a year, maybe more. The only secret is plenty of water during summer droughts, especially the first two or three years. These are gorgeous trees that will reward your effort in getting them established. You may read in some tree manuals that it is impossible to grow coast redwoods in the SE .This is just not true!!!

Seeds are collected in the autumn when the cones are still green. As the cones turn yellow they will open and the seeds are released. They should be sown immediately as they do not have a storage life and even the experts only claim a 20% viability on fresh seed.

Plant seed by pressing into moist soiless potting mix. Transplant into regular potting mix when the plant is 2 to 3 inches in height. The seedlings are tender and very suceptible to deseases. To reduce Damping off add a coating of spagnum moss to the soil surface.