Sequoias are thriving in Great Britain, both giant sequoias (Sequoia giganteum) and coastal redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens). Scientists with the Royal Society report that some stands have matched the average growth rates of similar-aged sequoias in their natural habitat of California.
The world’s largest trees were introduced to British country estates in the 19th century as status symbols, and there are now an estimated 500,000 sequoias in Britain, compared to 80,000 trees in their natural habitat of California’s Sierra Nevada.
The Royal Society report states, “The presence of S. giganteum in the UK is particularly interesting because the UK lacks the narrow adaptive niches of the species’ native range; however, they have seemingly thrived and are already some of the largest trees in the UK within 170 years after their introduction.”
The Royal Society reports, “There is increased interest in planting giant sequoias in the UK, given their potential carbon sequestration capacity and apparent suitability to the UK climate. However, there is little quantitative evidence to support these observations.”
