Trees and Plants

The parks consists of more than just the famous redwoods.

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Trees and Plants Details

Although the redwoods are the star of the show -- and understandably so, at heights of over 300 feet -- there are whole ecosystems among and around these mighty trees that make the park worthy of protection. Along the Pacific coast, dunes support highly adapted plants species. Beach pea, beach strawberry, and sand verbena are among those that can withstand the strong forces of wind and water. These forces also shape the coastal forests, giving the advantage to Sitka spruce, a species that can tolerate the salt-laden wind and exposed terrain. The harsh conditions of the coast do not foster the growth of redwoods, so the beaches, dunes, and scrub ecosystems provide a buffer between the coast and the more protected valleys, alluvial flats, and inland streams where redwoods thrive. Alongside the giants themselves, trees such as tanoak, madrone, big-leaf maple, California bay, and red alder fill the forest. Beneath the canopy, at ground level, plants such as ferns, sorrels, rhododendron, huckleberry, salal, and azalea fill in the understory. As you head inland, the drier soils and higher elevations limit the growth of redwoods, and the forest becomes dominated by mixed evergreens.

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