
Chapter 1
The battle of the botanical giants
Chapter 2
Fire, squirrels, and a tiny beetle
Chapter 3
The sky-high penthouse suite
Chapter 4
The era of tree-mendous bloopers
Ch 1 · The battle of the botanical giants

futura While coast redwoods tower over 379 feet, giant sequoias pack 52,500 cubic feet of volume into a much heavier frame.

futura John Buchholz ended the giant sequoia naming dispute in 1939 with Sequoiadendron.
Fun Fact
Size vs weight: A mature giant sequoia can weigh over 2.7 million pounds, which is roughly equivalent to the weight of 6,000 grizzly bears.
Glossary
wellingtonia (noun)
A giant coniferous tree native to California that has a wide tapering trunk and thick spongy bark. In 1853, British botanist John Lindley proposed this name to honor the Duke of Wellington.
A giant coniferous tree native to California that has a wide tapering trunk and thick spongy bark. In 1853, British botanist John Lindley proposed this name to honor the Duke of Wellington.
Quiz
How do giant sequoias fundamentally differ from their close cousins, the coast redwoods?
Quiz
Which specific giant sequoia in California is recognized as the world's largest tree by volume?
Quiz
In what year did American botanist John Buchholz finally settle the scientific name of the giant sequoia as Sequoiadendron giganteum?
Quiz
Which British war hero was the giant sequoia briefly named after in 1853, causing outrage in America?
