Species of coniferous evergreen timber tree of the cypress family, found in the fog belt of the coastal range from southwestern Oregon to central California, at elevations up to 1,000 metres (3,300 feet) above sea level. They are the tallest living trees, often exceeding 90 m (300 feet) in height. Trunks reach typical diameters of 3 to 6 m (10 to 20 feet) or more. The coast redwood tree takes 400 to 500 years to reach maturity, and some trees are known to be more than 1,500 years old. The leaves on the main shoots are spirally arranged, scalelike, and closely appressed to the branches; those of the lateral shoots are spreading, needlelike, and arranged in two rows. As the tree ages, the lower limbs fall away, leaving a clear, columnar trunk. When a tree is cut, sprouts arise from the sapwood below the cut surface. Natural reproduction occurs through seed production, although only a small percentage of the seeds germinate unless exposed to fire.
