Adress
Parc de Woluwe
Woluwé-Saint-Pierre
GPS coordinates :
50.8338
, 4.4234
Scientific inventory
Partner :
Identity
Latin name :
Sequoiadendron giganteum
French name :
Séquoia géant
Dutch name :
Mammoetboom
English name :
Giant sequoia
Family :
Taxodiaceae
Height :
15 m
Targeted height :
Can reach more than 90 m in America, 50-60 m in Belgium
Diameter of the crown :
12 m
Trunk circumference :
446 cm
Expected circumference :
1200 cm
Expected longevity :
Can live for 2000 years, sometimes up to 3000 years
Origin / Indigenous
Sierra Nevada, California, USA
Favorite soil :
Deep and fresh
Favorite climate
Humid, mountainous
Illustrated Botany © Wikimedia Commons - The Royal Horticultural Society Diary 2004
Features and characters of the individual
TWINNING
This giant sequoia (sequoiadenron giganteum) was chosen by the Arboretum of Tervuren. There you'll find in arboretum group 7 dozens of brothers and siblings in two generations, next to other tree species from the Sierra Nevada. Feel free to go from one to the other with tram 44, which takes you directly from the Woluwe Park to Tervuren:
"Even the thickest of these trees in Tervuren, with a circumference of 625 cm at chest height, is only a baby. Because the mountain giant sequoia is not considered to be the tallest, but certainly the most voluminous one in the world. That led to the attraction of tree trunks in which a tunnel was sawn out to be driven through by car. In the meantime, almost all of those 'tunnel trees' have died. One of the last specimens, the pioneer cabin tree redwood, was blown over in the Calaveras Big Trees State Park in 2017.
Such attractions fueled the imagination that gave the giant sequoias their legendary status. And ultimately their protection. And that was necessary, because there aren't many trees: the Sequoiadendron's range is very limited. The forest types with the giant sequoia can almost only be found in the National Parks.
Geographic Arboretum of Tervuren
An extraordinary arboretum in an extraordinary forest. There lies in Tervuren, the crown on the majestic Sonianforest: the Geographic arboretum. This tree collection, or rather collection of forest types is situated in a beautiful landscape park with royal avenues and lush meadows. Countless trees and shrubs of North, West and Eastern Northern-America, Central and Mediterranean Europe, the Far-East and Asia stand together in over hundred sections. The 120 ha large domain was founded in 1902 by Leopold II and is now, more than a hundred years later an attractive heritage site owned by and in service of the Belgian nation. Up to this day, the original design is being maintained and new extensions and plantations are added within the original concept drawn out by professor Charles Bommer.”
ACTIVITIES
The book "Tervuren Geographical Arboretum: A world tour through trees" will soon be published. It will guide you through the six hundred species and 30,000 trees and shrubs in the heart of this jewel hidden in the middle of the Soignes Forest. The authors and the managers of the arboretum Patrick Huvenne, Kevin Knevels and Wilfried Emmerechts share their know-how and passion in the book Geographical Arboretum of Tervuren: they guide us through the rich variety of the forests of America, Europe and Asia, in the specialized management of such a living collection and explain the challenges of sustainable forest management influenced by climate change.
