Half a million giant redwood trees flourishing in the UK

On the fringes of Bedgebury forest a cluster of majestic redwoods, otherwise known as sequoias, tower over neighboring trees. Bedgebury National Pinetum is home to around 270 giant and coastal redwoods, which are the pride and joy of Collections Manager Dan Luscombe.

The giant sequoia, famous for breaking records for tree height in its native California, has been shooting up at Bedgebury since it was planted when the gardens opened in 1925. 

"These are the largest living trees on the planet. They're absolutely incredible," Luscombe told CGTN Europe. "We're stood in this amazing little grove at Bedgebury, where they're doing remarkably well. So well in fact, that this tree next year will celebrate its centenary."

A group of coastal redwoods, which are even taller than the giant sequoias, are growing nearby. Both types are commonly found in English parks and botanical gardens, but until now no-one realized just how many there were.

In a recent study, researchers from the University College of London (UCL) and the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew collated data indicating there could be around 500,000 of two types of sequoias - giant and coastal - in the UK. Surprisingly, that is many more than the 80,000 sequoias left in their native California.

The team also used laser technology to measure sequoias in three key locations, discovering the tallest redwood tree in Scotland at over 50 meters high. 

"The trees that are here seem to be doing really well," explained UCL Professor Mat Disney, a senior author of the study of sequoias in the UK. "They're growing quite rapidly, approaching the kind of rates at which they would grow in their native ranges in California, and so the climate here seems to be quite conducive to the growth of these trees."

Collectors first shipped redwood seeds to the UK from California 160 years ago. They grew into a status symbol for the wealthy, a sought after must-have to grow in the grounds of stately homes. 

"They became an instant smash hit. Everybody had to have them. They were the must-have, de rigour, and so if you were building a big house, you planted an avenue of these redwoods," said Disney.

Larger sequoias also have the potential to help the environment - capturing up to 85 kilograms of carbon a year. According to Disney, "these trees are extremely good at taking up carbon, they're some of the best in the world."

He added: "If you want to look at the highest rates of carbon uptake anywhere in the world, those are the giant sequoias in California and the coastal redwoods."

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Yet Californian sequoias are also threatened by the impact of climate change and now classed as endangered. Disney explained: "Climate change is reducing the rainfall and making it more sporadic. And the winter snow cover, which they rely on, is becoming more and more sporadic. 

"Also, the key threat there is more intense and more frequent fires." Those wildfires wiped out 10-15 percent of California's sequoia population in 2020.

Another lesser-known redwood, the deciduous dawn, is also thriving at Bedgebury. Rare in its native China, it was once considered extinct, before being rediscovered and brought to England. 

"It was introduced to gardens and parks around the world from 1949 onwards and this is one of the original trees introduced, this was planted in the early 1950s," said Luscombe. 

Redwoods can live for around three thousand years. By then, they could reach record heights and perhaps those growing in the UK may have a better chance of long-term survival than in their native California.

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