Growing redwoods in western NC

[davidlarson]

I have visited Muir Woods in northern California, and experienced, as many others have, the very special environment of the grove of coastal redwood trees.  Several years ago my wife and I spent a week on a farm in the North Island of New Zealand.  The farmer, who at the time was probably about 70 years old, in his 20s and 30s had planted on his farm a large number of American coastal redwood trees, and by the time we visited him, they were probably 40+ years old.  They were, of course, not hundreds of years old, as are the trees in Muir Woods, but they were old enough and big enough to produce something of the same special magical environment one senses in Muir Woods.  Does anyone on this forum know about growing redwoods in the USA outside of northern California?  I live in western North Carolina, on a 75 acre tract of forested land at an elevation of about 2750 feet above sea level, and although we don't have the frequent misty weather of Muir Woods, this part of the state does have a relatively high annual rainfall.  Does anyone have any knowledge or experience about a project like this?  Many thanks for any responses.

David Larson
Spruce Pine, NC

[Left Coast Chris]

Hi David,

Coastal Redwoods are grown successfully outside of the coastal range of California.  We live in the Sacramento Valley in Northern California where we get extreeme heat and dry summers.  We generally only get into the mid 20's F for short periods of time as far as cold in the winter.   The coastal redwoods grown here do not get as large and have more taper but they survive just fine IF they have enough water.    The ones I see making it are where the ground water is only down about 4' to 10' and they get watered well early in life to allow the tap root to hit ground water.  Otherwise they need to be on a sprinkler system.   The cold is what may be your limiting factor.    We are in climate zone 9.   What zone are you in and how cold do you get in the winter?

The inland or Giant Sequoia is another choice and they take more cold.   They still need large amounts of water.

[Clark]

There is at least one guy who is looking to grow redwood in the southeast US.  Maybe he's on here, I don't know.  Here's his website:

http://home.hiwaay.net/~redwood/rwmyths.html

Clark

[davidlarson]

Dear Left Coast Chris -

Many thanks for your quick response.  We are at the boundary between zones 6 and 7.  During the last 6-8 weeks our lowest temperature has been about 1 degree Fahrenheit, but tomorrow we expect sunshine and temperatures in the 50s and 60s.  The surface of our pond freezes at night, for example, but often melts by mid-day.  I think it would not be hard to provide water, until the tree would find the water table not too far below the ground surface.

S/ David Larson

[Ianab]

From the Nth Island of NZ.

From the experience here, the Redwoods can be established in a lot of enviroments and will grow OK. But to really thrive and grow into those giants they need almost a perfect miroclimate.

About 100 years back the NZ Forest Service did some experimental planting and there is a big stand in Rotorua with some pretty impressive trees. But they didn't so well around the rest of the country. They survived and grew in many areas, just not as well. So the Forest Service decided that Radiata Pine was a better option and they got planted by the millions.

A farm next to my old place had some Redwoods growing on it, probably 30-40 years old. The climate was probably similar to what you are talking about, some heavy frosts. frozen ponds etc but once the trees are established they seem to survive much harsher conditions. The area was warm in summer but high humidity and regular rain.

I wonder if a "shelter" of fast growing disposable trees might help them get established  better, and just cut them back before they start to smother the Redwoods?

Ian

[davidlarson]

Dear Clark,

Many thanks for the link you listed.  It was on target to answer my question.

David Larson

[thompsontimber]

David, I know where there are 3 or 4 coastal redwoods a little ways south of you that are 25+ in age, but the landowner could not tell me any specificity as to when they were planted. I did a management plan and pine salvage on an 80 acre tract in Rutherford County, near the Cleveland County and South Carolina lines.  The landowner's brother had owned the land previously and planted the trees, along with some bald cypress and an orchid garden in a small man-made marshy area on the property.  He died about 10 years ago and nature had taken over the area he maintained so well while he was living.  The redwoods had good height best I can remember, probably 60 feet tall and 12 inch dbh.  However, at least 2 of them were dead last spring when I started my work on the property, and the others were not looking good.  The severe drought conditions of the past several years in the area had no doubt played a big role in that, and without any care from the man that planted them, they were not able to hold on any longer.  First time I had personally seen any in the area though, and I can vouche for the fact that they did indeed survive and grow for a long while.