Sequoia National Park: Unveiling the Majestic Splendor of General Sherman
The Sequoia tree named General Sherman is mammoth beauty. It is not the tallest or the widest, but this Giant Sequoia is Earth’s largest living organism in the sheer volume of total wood. Its nearly conical trunk, which remains thick and high into the branches, shows why. On the entire planet, sequoias grow naturally only in some 75 groves on the Sierra Nevada’s western slopes.
The ages of General Sherman, General Grant, and other mature sequoias are unknown, but the estimate is that these giants are between 1,800 and 2,700 years old. They were around at the time of Julius Caesar, Augustus, and Genghis Khan; they have seen civilizations come and go, survived countless fires and periods of drought, and through it all, continue to flourish and inspire many generations of admirers.
What Climate Requirements Must Be Met for Giant Sequoias to Thrive?
Giant Sequoias thrive in specific climate requirements that only occur in a narrow 260-mile strip of forest on the Sierra Nevada mountains’ western slopes. They grow only at a particular elevation and temperature. Above 7,500 feet (2,290 m), it is usually too cold for the tree. Below 5,000 feet (1,520 m), it is too dry. The result is a narrow belt where the temperature and water conditions are right for these big trees – The Sequoia Belt.