The Sequoia genus includes redwoods, the world’s tallest trees.
Sequoia is a small genus in the cypress family, Cupressaceae. Its living members include coast redwood, Sequoia sempervirens, and giant sequoia, Sequoiadendron giganteum. Coast redwoods hold the height record, while giant sequoias are famous for enormous trunk volume and great age.
Coast redwoods grow naturally in a narrow, moist region along the Pacific coast of the United States, especially in northern California and southern Oregon. Their height is supported by massive trunks, strong wood and a climate with frequent moisture from rain and coastal fog. Their tallest individuals exceed 100 metres.
A common mix-up is treating “redwood” and “sequoia” as exact synonyms. In everyday use, redwood often means coast redwood, whereas giant sequoia is a different species with a different natural range. The genus name Sequoia is also distinct from Sequoiadendron, the genus of the giant sequoia.