As with most conifers, redwoods lack a taproot, and their broad shallow root system sometimes provides inadequate support for the massive trunk. Wind topples many mature trees. The first record of the redwood was written by Fray Juan Crespi in 1769. Its botanical discoverer was Archibald Menzies, whose collections are dated 1794. Prolific Producers Cones form on the tips of upper branches.
Mature cones are reddish brown, woody, and slightly oval.
Sprouts bear cones at 20 years because they draw on the parent root system. Seedlings take longer to bear cones. Cones mature in one year and ripen in August and September to release seeds. Only 1 out of 10 seeds will germinate. The Role of Fog In the Age of Dinosaurs , redwood species were dominant over much of the Northern Hemisphere, including what is now the Arctic.