6 California, Coastal Range

California’s coastal mountains are a continuation of the Oregon Coast Range, and very similar tree species are found in both. On a narrow strip of land along the Pacific Ocean are California’s famous Redwood forests. The Sequoia or Coast redwood tree, easily recognized from afar when its fibrous, reddish trunk is in full light, is known as the highest reaching tree species in the world, soaring up to 115 m. Stately specimens of this tree are found in the central tree island of arboretum Group 6. The Coastal redwood is not the hardiest of trees, however, which is why few of the early planted specimens remain in the arboretum. Across the Royal Walk is a younger generation of Redwoods surrounded by a cluster of Douglas fir that provides shelter for them. In the second part of the arboretum group, across the meadow, we find species that thrive in the Siskiyou Mountains on the Oregon-California border. Endemic to that area, i.e. naturally occurring only there, is the Brewer spruce, a small spruce with a weeping form naturally similar to the Himalayan spruce from Nepal. A small area was recently cleared there so that some Californian deciduous species with rather Mediterranean characteristics may thrive. Already there are young and flourishing specimens of Garry oak, Blue oak and Kellogg oak or California black oak, species that occur in the lower mountain areas.