Help me figure out what's wrong with my potted Giant Sequoia

[adrianfles]

Hello, I have a Giant Sequoia that is about 3 years old that I have grown from a seedling.

I've noticed that over the last few months I have seen some browning in small areas and a bit on the tips and new buds. Also it is now putting out quite a few suckers.

Some context-
Soil: A few months ago I noticed that the soil would retain quite a bit of water and never really dry out. I repotted it into mostly gritty mix but left a small amount of the older more absorbent soil as kind of like a core around the roots to let it retain some water.
Water: I usually have to water it twice a week because within 3 days the mix is bone dry.
Environment: I live in the Chicago area and it does pretty well outside in the summer with a bit of shade. However in the winter it can get down to 10 - 20 below so I bring it inside and just keep it in a south facing window for the winter. I just read that maybe I shouldn't keep these in the house in the winter, but I am confused on how to overwinter in the Chicago area when it gets so cold.

The only thing I have tried so far is Daconil, two applications a week apart. Didn't seem to do anything.

Attaching pictures, thanks in advance for your advice!

 

[Ruddigger]

Well, your first problem is that isn’t a giant sequoia. It looks more like a coast redwood. You should treat it accordingly.

 

[PowerTap]

I agree with the diagnosis that it isn't a sequoia. Honestly it looks a little confused. I see buds that are swelling like it's full spring when it should be in hard dormancy.

Others might disagree, but I think not getting cold dormancy outdoors is part of the story here. Chicago is pretty intense cold for these trees.

They do like more water than and more water retention than a lot of other trees.

 

[vesper818]

It js a Sequoia sempervirens- a coastal redwood, from a climate much milder than the giant sequoia, Metasequoia gigantea.
I have no clue how you should care for it in Chigago.
The giant sequoia might be a better fit for your cold winters...

 

[adrianfles]

Thanks for the responses everyone!

 

[rockm]

Fwiw west coast species like redwood and sequoia are specialists and tied to specific climates primarily marine influenced While some of those requirements can be met inland and mid continent, winters pose significant issues for both. Chicago winters are probably unsurvivable for them without a cold greenhouse that doesn’t drop below 20 F or so. I have considered and dismissed being able to keep them here in Va since I don’t want to have to provide expensive (boarding) or land consuming overwintering solutions. (I live in a townhouse with a tiny backyard-small greenhouses are not easy to keep)

You are discovering keeping them inside is not great. Extremely Low humidity levels that come with central heating in winter is not appreciated Or tolerated well by species that evolved with ocean mists as part of their survival strategy.

If you want to keep redwood or sequoia you’re going to have to solve how to overwinter them in above freezing but not too warm humid environments.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Fwiw west coast species like redwood and sequoia are specialists and tied to specific climates primarily marine influenced

Gonna disagree with you on this one @rockm . Giant sequoia is very different from Coast Redwood and lives in the mountains of central California at 4000 - 8000 feet - not along the coast. Giant sequoias are cold hardy to zone 6, and have been planted successfully in Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland. In fact, it is estimated that as many as 100,000 of them may live in Europe - greater than the 80,000 or so that remain within their original native range.

 

[rockm]

Gonna disagree with you on this one @rockm . Giant sequoia is very different from Coast Redwood and lives in the mountains of central California at 4000 - 8000 feet - not along the coast. Giant sequoias are cold hardy to zone 6, and have been planted successfully in Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland. In fact, it is estimated that as many as 100,000 of them may live in Europe - greater than the 80,000 or so that remain within their original native range.

View attachment 581670

Gonna disagree with you on this as well. A Chicago winter for a containerized sequoia is going to be pretty hard to sustain. The OPs tree is a redwood in any case.

People on the east coast have also been told western conifers (ponderosa pine. Utah Cali and other junipers are winter hardy here. I’ve found that’s isn’t really the case. There is a significant reason western species are western and east coast species are eastern. There are significant climate differences simple winter hardiness ratings don’t take into account. Containerization only makes those differences worse. I’ve seen Ponderosa go strong for years then collapse and die off piece by piece same for most other western collected conifers around here.

I asked Warren Hill when he was curator of the Nat Bonsai Museum if he’d add redwood or sequoia to his personal collection he gave me much the same answer I gave here.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

People on the east coast have also been told western conifers (ponderosa pine. Utah Cali and other junipers are winter hardy here. I’ve found that’s isn’t really the case.

Don't know what to say. My containerized giant sequoia I've had here for five years without winter protection. One of our neighbors just had a Coast Redwood cut down in their yard because it was getting too big. They planted it after a trip to California about 30 years ago. See linked TV news story.

 

[rockm]

Don't know what to say. My containerized giant sequoia I've had here for five years without winter protection. One of our neighbors just had a Coast Redwood cut down in their yard because it was getting too big. They planted it after a trip to California about 30 years ago. See linked TV news story.

View attachment 581694

Good for you. There are redwoods and sequoias here in ground in va as well. But they’re planted in coastal areas

I would not trust overwintering one in a container here though

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

In fact, it is estimated that as many as 100,000 of them may live in Europe

They seem to be fully cold hardy over here and not doing bad.
I've seen them in pots at nurseries, ourdoors in the winter. We get a couple dips to -15°C sometimes.
I've seen a bunch of them throughout Europe, and quite sizeable ones too.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Good for you. There are redwoods and sequoias here in ground in va as well. But they’re planted in coastal areas

The tallest sequoia outside of the US is in Ribeauvillé France (Zone 6a). It was planted there in 1856... in the mountains west of the Rhine river valley. But it isn't just this one single tree - trust me there are many. It sounds like I'm trying to score points but giant sequoias are quite cold hardy. Coast redwoods are not.

 

[PowerTap]

Not to nock anyone off this debate, but we seem to have wandered a field. OPs original question was about their potted coast redwood. Everyone here seems to agree that this tree is probably not well suited to their climate and I think we'd all agree that trees don't live indoors well.

Giant Sequoia are not really a part of the original discussion.