What is the difference between a coast redwood and a giant sequoia?
The coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) is native to the coastal hills of central California to the coastal hills of southern Oregon. The Pacific coastal hills have a moderate climate influenced by the Pacific Ocean. The giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) is native to the Sierra Nevada Mountains of central California. The Sierra Nevada Mountains are much higher and have less climatic influence from the ocean. The winters in the Sierras can be severe and are seldom moderate. The Sunset New Western Garden Book says that the coast redwood is good from zone 4 to warmer. Zone 4 goes to –7F. I think that is a stretch for long-term survival of a coast redwood specimen. I have seen coast redwoods here in zone 4 suffer and die from temperatures around 0F. The giant sequoia however is considered good for “all zones” and to low temperatures of –30F and perhaps colder. The coast redwoods are the tallest trees on earth (to 350 feet) and the giant sequoias are the most massive (to 40 feet in
