Redwoods
A forest to steal your heart
Redwoods National and State Parks in northern California are a consortium of forested areas preserved in partnership by state and federal units. These forests house old-growth stands (with only about 5% of old-growth forest remaining) of coast redwoods, Sequoia sempervirens, and their associated ecosystem. The plant community is rich, lush, and brimming with life during our spring visit.
The forests, verdant and enchanting, are a pictorial representation of the word “forest.” This is a forest we would conjure in imagination. The trees are tall, broad, and full, the ferns are giant, and the filtered sunlight on the mosses is magical.
The coast redwood is taller than its cousin the sequoia, and is not as stout. They aren’t a match in diameter (sequoias are hard to outmeasure), though the coast redwood seems a bit more graceful in form. Even so, you are among giants in the redwood forest. There is a quietude and a peace that you can bask in here.
Pacific rhododendron, Rhododendron macrophyllum
Full of buds and petals in pink, purple, and magenta, brightening up the understory
Western swordfern, Polystichum munitum
Horsetail, Equisetum hyemale
In prehistoric times, Equisetum were the size of trees. As were ferns. And dragonflies had a wingspan of 5 feet!
A natural fern “stumpery” along a fallen redwood resembles a stylized garden planting
The forest holds an air of mystery with mosses, lichens and ferns creating microgardens among the rocks and trees.
Clear blue skies and clear blue rivers…you can see right to the rocky river floor from the pebbled shore.
Pacific days.
The forest meets the ocean in a magical combination of landscapes.
Thank you for reading! Happy Summer.
