Mark McCaughreanMar 13, 2024

Who knew? 😳

While there are only 80,000 of those iconic giant redwoods left in their native California (I blame all those rubbish speedbike riders in Return of the Jedi), there are 500,000 now growing in the UK.

Smaller so far, given that they’re much younger, but apparently the warm wet weather conditions suit them well & the largest are already over 50 metres tall.

Story & pix by my lovely friends Becky Morelle, Ali Francis, & Tony Jolliffe at the BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-68518623

Giant redwoods: World’s largest trees 'thriving in UK'

A survey of giant redwoods growing in the UK reveals the trees are doing well - and growing fast.

Show threadAllie Potts
@markmccaughrean a few are growing in North Carolina too. https://www.wral.com/story/hidden-in-plain-sight-huge-redwoods-grow-in-raleigh-wilson-chapel-hill/19195428/. It’s a fun game of, “is that what I think it is?”
Hidden in plain sight: Huge redwoods grow in Raleigh, Wilson, Chapel Hill

In the Redwood Forest in California, the trees are so tall they block the sun, forcing drivers to use their headlights even at noon. The trees are so thick that cars can drive right through the middle of some Redwood trunks. Many people have no idea that these giant trees also grow right here in the Triangle.

WRAL
Mar 13, 2024 at 7:53pmMastodon for iOS