The exact time of Giant Sequoia seed maturation doesn't seem to be well recorded, but is somewhere around 18 months or so. It doesn't matter much, as the cones are serotinous, remaining green for up to 20 years or more.

The cone at the top left of the pic below is 11 years old, the middle pair 4 years old, the bottom left 2 years old; bottom right is an immature one-year old cone.

So just harvest any cones that are full size and not close to the tips of the branches, at any time. After harvest, the cones will dry out and open; then shake the seeds out, and store refrigerated (+1°C ideally) until sowing time in the spring.

Sequoia and Metasequoia cones mature in late October. In WA (as here), you will probably find that Metasequoia seeds will all be sterile, as they don't normally produce pollen cones in oceanic climates - they need a hotter summer to develop.

Resin

Hmmm,made me wonder,how easy it is to germinate such seeds as these giants-there are some large Wellingtonias in our park that will have cones on,but i never thought growing these from seed was worthwhile as I imagined them to be too slow growing. But I would love to try some day!

They grow quite fast (50-70cm/year once established). If there's only one or two trees, the chances of good seed is low, increasing with more trees.

Resin

That's right, those tiny little seeds can seem discouraging to start with but they are a joke to germinate and really do grow like weeds. It's also amazing how quickly their little trunks add girth.

Nate

Thanks Resin,thats amazing info about the cones. What exactly is your background,I've come to the conclusion that what you don't know about trees isn't worth knowing!

"I've come to the conclusion that what you don't know about trees isn't worth knowing!"

Ah, like all those cultivars ;-)

There are a lot out there aren't there!

The Sequoia Giganteum always dazzles the mind!

Thank you Resin, and big, here-here on those cultivars!

Off topic a bit,but isn't the name Sequoia an Indian word for big tree? And if I'm not mistaken Sequoiadendron is the Indian word plus a greek word for tree added, (big tree tree?). And then there's Metasequoia,meta meaning large or giant-giving us 'giant big tree'-freaky!

Sequoia was (probably; it isn't known for sure as the describing botanist Endlicher didn't say) named after Sequoyah (1767-1843; a.k.a. George Guess), a Cherokee-English philologist who devised a new writing system for the Cherokee language in 1821. Since Endlicher was known to be interested in language as well as botany, this is quite likely true; other suggestions have been made including 'sequi', sequence, but they seem rather contrived and unlikely.

Yep, Sequoiadendron means 'Sequoia tree'. 'Meta' in Metasequoia means 'with' or 'alike', so it effectively means 'similar to Sequoia'.

Resin

I don't think all cultivars are bad but a most of them are
like the chamaecyparis lawsoniana cultivars its just
over nameing.Also the chamaccyparis obtusa cultivars
are just as bad and they don't always thrive the variegated
and gold forms as they can't photosynthesise as well as
the species. Also I can,t understand why garden centres
grow them.However I do grow some of the more interesting
cultivars like sequoia sempervirens 'filoli'the foliage
is a greyblue with stomatal bands on the upper surface
and the underside of the needles are white.I also have
the species sequoia here.

Resin, I was quite wrong then;)For years I've been under the impression that Meta meant large! Mind you I got dendron right!

I've had luck just picking cones off the ground--usually after a good wind.

"usually after a good wind"

That's how I got the cones in the pic above ;-)

A branch blown off, and counted the annual growth flushes to get the age of the 4- and 11-year cones

Resin

Since I don't live near a giant sequoia tree, does anyone know how or where I could obtain seeds (and their approx. price range)

Also, my zone is right between 6 and 7. Would anyone think it might be a bad idea to plant a sequoia tree in my area?

Sorry, I am very new to growing things :D

SenileFelineS