The Forestry Research Area in  Liliental

The Redwood Grove

Thanks to the favourable site conditions in Liliental, the redwood grove has developed into the biggest attraction in the grounds. The redwood (Sequoiadendron giganteum [L.] Buchh.) comes from the west slopes of the Sierra Nevada in California, USA. There the tree grows in several hundred small and isolated natural patches spread out between 1500 and 2400 metres above sea level. The largest examples can grow to 100 metres in their native land. The largest ever measured diameter was to 14,45 metres. By such dimensions the timber volume of a single tree amounts to 1000m³ and more. The oldest trees are more than 3000 years old and are strictly protected for example in the Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks in the USA.

The seed for the Redwoods in Liliental was brought straight from Tulare County in California, USA. The sowing of the seed took place in 1956 in the FVA tree nursery “Fasanengarten” in Stuttgart. In 1960 the four-year-old trees were then planted out in an area of around 1.2 hectares. Already in the period after the planting, single trees had to be removed to allow the remaining tree enough growing room. In 1992 the trees were on average 22 metres high and 60 cm thick (diameter measured 1,3m above ground). The bringing in of tree species, which are naturally found in association with the redwoods was unfortunately largely unsuccessful. Only the incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens [Torr.] Florin) and the white fir (Abies concolor var. lowina [Gord.] Lemm.) could find a niche here (see map 13).