British Columbia: California Redwood in Vancouver Rare?

There is a California Redwood in my backyard that I would estimate to be 80 years old and close to 100 feet tall. I live in Kerrisdale in Vancouver, BC. I'm wondering if it is rare for a California Redwood to be growing in Vancouver and, if so, should this tree be placed on the Heritage Register.

 

Probably not as old as you think but the size could be comparatively noteworthy. The kind is not so unusual.

 

Redwood Park in south Surrey, BC, has groves of both Coast Redwood and Giant Sequoia trees that are more than 100 years old and seem to be thriving.

 

Hi,
Actually, no, from my experience, they are not rare here. There are about 8 or 10 of them on my property on the North Shore. The age is hard to determine in this part of the world (Vancouver) because of our rainforest climate. I researched these trees last year because I was interested re whether or not they should actually come down because they are very close to the building for such a large tree.

Re age: Apparently, regardless of height, if their crown is pointed then they are still growing. When it starts to become more rounded, like perhaps the top of an ice cream cone, then they have stopped growing.

The thing is, up here, in rainforest country, their roots can do mega damage. In California where there is way less rain, their roots growing long is ok in order to search for water in that type of soil. Up here though, I have heard that many parks are actually removing them because their roots are approximately 1.5 times the length of the tree (the height of the tree). So, for instance, if a tree is 80 feet high, then the roots will be at least 120 feet long. This causes problems with not only your backyard heaving up, but sidewalks, patios, the sidewalk, et cetera depending on where the tree is situated. And also the roots are incredibly strong and apparently become almost underground trees themselves and can easily crush pipes for instance. And so the extensive root system can do a lot of damage. But don't quote me of course, just happen to know that on the North Shore quite a few of them are being removed from parks and private properties.

So not sure of the heritage value...but am on the North Shore which has different rules from Kerrisdale.

 

>In California where there is way less rain, their roots growing long is ok in order to search for water in that type of soil<

There is a wide range of rainfall where the tree grows in nature. This includes where the tallest remaining individuals are present, some are in much drier climate areas than others. But regardless of precipitation most of these are growing on soils deposited by water.

 

I'd go easy on removing any, they cause far less damage with their roots than most broadleaf trees. The worst culprits are willows and poplars, followed by elms and oaks.

 

I planted a Giant Sequoia seedling in North Delta. Out on it's own in my side yard where it
didn't have to fight for light. That was in about 1990. It's now a gorgeous 40+ foot tree.

FaxCap

 

Both species shoot up quickly when young, on favorable sites - same as local native conifers like Douglas fir and grand fir. Slow growth rate being shown by skyline height specimens may seldom have been in effect the whole time. Such trees are much less old than they would appear if the current height of the tree were to be divided by this latter day rate of growth in an attempt to arrive at the tree's age.

 

The shape of the top does not necessarily mean they stop growing. Some of the less-spire-tipped are broader and the trunks keep broadening too.

As for rain, the coast redwoods grow in rainforest that gets between 70 inches to 100 inches of rainfall per year. Would easily beat Vancouver hands down.

I found for Vancouver annual rain of 1117.2 mm / 43.98 inches

Jedediah Smith redwood or Prairie Creek redwoods practically doubles that.

Unless you are referring to Giant Sequoia exclusively, in the Sierra Nevada. But even for that area, like Kings Canyon, the stats I found are over 43 inches of precipitation per year, which matches Vancouver practically inch for inch.

 

Regarding precipitation, the latest 30 year average for Vancouver Airport is 1199 mm or 47.2 inches. However, the North Shore mountains generally receive more than 2000 mm or 79 inches of rainfall, which should qualify that area as rainforest.

See
http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc...ains&province=ALL&provBut=&month1=0&month2=12
and
http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/environment/climate/precipitation/precip.

 

But we are not qualifying Vancouver as a rainforest.

The rain totals listed are in reference to California getting way less rain. That's been clarified, that the coast redwoods of north California are in parks that don't get way less rain.

Even the mountains you mentioned, would not change that. Jedediah Smith redwoods or Redwood National Park would not get "way" less rain.

 

Are we talking about Sequoiadendron giganteum (Giant Sequoia) or Sequoia sempervirens (Coast Redwood) here? I've seen Sequoiadendron around Vancouver but Sequoia sempervirens seems quite rare. Has anyone else seen them and if so, where can you find them?

 

I planted a Sequoiadendron giganteum (Giant Sequoia). It has thrived. Although I sold
that place I still drive by every so often and the tree is now 40' high and the trunk is at
least 16" across. Beautiful colour.....looks very very healthy.

FaxCap

 

Cool! Have you ever seen Sequoia sempervirens (Coast Redwood) in Vancouver? I'd love to see if I could find one!!

 

I could have sworn there are a few in Stanley Park. There is also Redwood Park in South
Surrey but I have no idea which species are growing there.

FaxCap

 

In Stanley Park, in the area between the Fish House Restaurant and the golf course entrance, there are several large conifers. Nearest Park Drive, there is a Sequoia sempervirens next to a Sequoiadendron giganteum.

[Edited]Also in Stanley Park, there is supposed to be a Sequoia sempervirens on Lower Pavilion Walk, which is the Rose Garden area where all those 'Akebono' cherries are. According to Wilderness on the Doorstep - Discovering Nature in Stanley Park (Vancouver Natural History Society, Harbour Publishing, 2006), it's at the centre on this map, about 1/3 of the way down from left side of the paved Parks Board yard and the path below it. I haven't ever looked for that one.

There is also, in Stanley Park, supposed to be one just in from the edge of the park just south of Comox St. This is from The Natural History of Stanley Park (Vancouver Natural History Society, Discovery Press, 1988). I can't say I've paid attention to that one either.

 

The redwood in my backyard is a coastal redwood (Sequoia sempervirens). You will find it in the alley between West 42nd and 43rd in the 2900 block (closer to the top of the hill). The bark has a nice reddish colour.

 

Yes, there it is. I walked right past it today, as I've done hundreds of times. Now that I see it, I know I've noticed it before. It's right at the edge along the path next to the park.