Sequoia sempervirens 'Cantab'
Our Champion tree of Sequoia sempervirens 'Cantab', is a super example of this rare and unusual 'Giant Redwood' variety.
Our Champion tree of Sequoia sempervirens 'Cantab', is a super example of this rare and unusual 'Giant Redwood' variety. This very large East coast North American conifer species is perhaps best known for its specimens in California that have tunnels made through them. Sadly we don't have the heat to achieve that kind of growth, yet 'Cantab' with its narrow, upright habit is a stunning tree. Remarkably, this variety starts off prostrate, almost like a ground cover and then sends up a vertical shoot and forms a tall tree.
What makes a tree, 'Champion Tree'?
I would imagine that most people will think that a champion tree must be a huge colossus of a tree, bigger than all the rest, but this isn’t necessarily the case. A champion is in essence the biggest example of that species of tree in the country and this can be height or girth or both. Even a dwarf tree can be a champion if its height exceeds all others in the UK of that variety. TROBI, Tree Register of the British Isles, is the organisation responsible for declaring trees, champions. Many hundreds of trees from all over the country are registered each year. TROBI will check and confirm that these are or are not, champions. At present the Hillier Gardens has one of the largest collections of champion trees in the country.
What makes a tree, 'Champion Tree'?
I would imagine that most people will think that a champion tree must be a huge colossus of a tree, bigger than all the rest, but this isn’t necessarily the case. A champion is in essence the biggest example of that species of tree in the country and this can be height or girth or both. Even a dwarf tree can be a champion if its height exceeds all others in the UK of that variety. TROBI, Tree Register of the British Isles, is the organisation responsible for declaring trees, champions. Many hundreds of trees from all over the country are registered each year. TROBI will check and confirm that these are or are not, champions. At present the Hillier Gardens has one of the largest collections of champion trees in the country.
