21 Giant Sequoias-Mid

Giant Sequoias FOCUS Question Why do giant sequoias grow so large and live for so long?

The Largest Living Things Giant sequoias (suh-KWOY-uhs) are big trees. Very big! In fact, they are some of the largest living things on Earth. Some trees are taller. Some are wider. But a giant sequoia takes up more space than most other living things.

How Do They Get So Big? Giant sequoias keep growing as long as they live. And they can live for more than 3,000 years! Trees add a ring around their trunk every year. One sequoia has more than 3,500 rings. That means it is more than 3,500 years old!

How Do They Live So Long? Few things can kill a giant sequoia. Chemicals in the bark keep the tree from getting sick. The chemicals also keep insects away. The bark is thick at the bottom. Thick bark helps the tree live through fires.

Giant sequoias only grow in parts of California. The soil is just right for the trees. There is not too much or too little rain It is not too hot or too cold. But giant sequoias need one more thing.

Fire and the Forest Giant sequoias need fire. They have small, hard pinecones. The cones hold the seeds. The cones only open when they get hot in a fire. Then the seeds can fall out. Wowser! A giant sequoia can release 400,000 seeds in one year!