Coast Redwood Plant Care

Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) belongs to the Cupressaceae family within the Sequoia genus. Coast Redwood is native to Central and Northern California coast. Coast Redwood is also known as California Redwood, Coastal Redwood, Giant Redwood.

Coast Redwood displays a tall, upright growth habit, reaching up to 300 ft tall with a spread of approximately 30 ft. Coast Redwood produces small flowers with separate male and female cones on different trees.

Leaf size: approximately 1 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Coast Redwood every 7–14 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established trees mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Coast Redwood thrives in full sun.

Sequoia sempervirens tolerates temperatures of 50–75°F. Coast Redwood prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

Well-draining soil mix. Good drainage is essential for Coast Redwood to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Coast Redwood every 7 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established trees in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun and well-draining soil mix. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Coast Redwood is suited to USDA Zone 7a – 9b.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped trees in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Coast Redwood can spread to about 30 ft (9.1 m) and reach about 300 ft (91 m) tall. Space plants about 30 ft (9.1 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the tree spacing calculator.

Prune Coast Redwood while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the tree in one year.

Coast Redwood is hardy down to USDA zone 7a, so once established it can stay outdoors through winter in that zone and warmer ones.

Water deeply in late autumn before the ground freezes — evergreens keep losing water through their needles all winter, and spread a 5–8 cm (2–3 in) layer of mulch over the root zone, keeping it away from the trunk.

Young and container-grown trees need extra protection: roots in a pot freeze much more easily than roots in the ground.

Coast Redwood can be propagated through softwood cuttings or seeds.

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Coast Redwood is susceptible to spider mites, bagworms, cypress bark beetles. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

Coast Redwood grows outdoors in USDA Zone 7a – 9b. It survives winters down to planting zone 7a. Coast Redwood is native to Central and Northern California coast.