Sequoiadendron giganteum

Sequoiadendron giganteum, also known as the giant sequoia, giant redwood, Sierra redwood, or Wellingtonia, is a species of coniferous tree in the family Cupressaceae, subfamily Sequoioideae. Giant sequoia specimens are the largest trees on Earth by volume, native to groves on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California, though they have been introduced and grown worldwide. The species is listed as endangered by the IUCN, with fewer than 80,000 trees remaining in its native California. These trees are among the oldest living organisms, with the oldest known individual estimated to be between 3,200 and 3,266 years old. The wood from mature trees is fibrous and brittle, often shattering when felled, making it unsuitable for construction; it is instead used for fence posts or match sticks. The tree is also a popular ornamental species globally. The genus name was long thought to honor Sequoyah, inventor of the Cherokee syllabary, but a 2012 etymological study concluded the name derives from the Latin *sequi* (to follow), referencing the mathematical sequence of seeds per cone in the suborder. Giant sequoias have fibrous, furrowed bark that can be thick at the base, and their sap contains tannic acid, offering significant fire protection. Their leaves are evergreen, awl-shaped, and arranged spirally. The wood is notably resistant to decay; a nearly complete log found south of Nelder Grove was radiocarbon-dated to 10,000 years old. The trees regenerate by seed, with cones maturing in 18–20 months but often remaining closed for up to 20 years. Each cone averages 230 seeds, and a large tree may hold as many as 11,000 cones, dispersing hundreds of thousands of seeds annually. Lower branches die from shade, but trees under 100 years retain most dead branches.