Featuring giant redwood / giant sequoia. Verified occurrence recorded by Redwood World. Oxford University Parks has a varied range of trees spaced around large and well-manicured grassed fields. The main interest to us, however, is the eight Giant Redwoods. Seven can be found on the West Walk, six of which were planted in about 1888 and one in 1972. It is worth noting that these are not particulary large examples for their age, and this demonstrates how difficult it can be to determine the age of a tree by its size. The rate of growth of a tree is dependant on the conditions in which it was planted, and these examples have been in fairly poor soil; this is explained on the Oxford University Parks website: "The soil over most of the area is thin and overlies river gravel. This has had a great effect on the size of many of the trees, which, particularly in the open areas to the west, do not appear to have attained their full potential. This is apparent in the group of Wellingtonias..." Nevertheless, they are a nice group of trees in a beautiful setting, and are perfect for students to laze under and revise in the shade on a hot July day. As lovely as these trees are, one can clearly see the difference that more suitable conditions can make to their growth by comparing the young Giant Redwood on the South Walk, where there is obviously a better supply of moisture in the summer. This stunningly healthy specimen has the full lush growth that one would expect from these magnificent trees when conditions are ideal.
Visit information
- Access
- Open to public
- Last verified
- 10 Apr 2026
- Official site
- redwoodworld.co.uk/picturepages/oxford.htm
Redwood species here
Native to the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, giant sequoias were introduced to Britain in the 1850s during the Victorian plant-collecting era. They are the world's most massive trees by volume and have thrived in the UK's mild, wet climate, often growing faster than in parts of their native range. Many Victorian-era plantings now rival mature specimens in California.
Present. Native to the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, giant sequoias were introduced to Britain in the 1850s during the Victorian plant-collecting era. They are the world's most massive trees by volume
About this place
About Oxford - University Parks
Oxford - University Parks is located in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England.
Species Present
Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum)
Native to the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, giant sequoias were introduced to Britain in the 1850s during the Victorian plant-collecting era. They are the world's most massive trees by volume and have thrived in the UK's mild, wet climate, often growing faster than in their native range. Many Victorian-era plantings now rival mature specimens in California.
Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)
The tallest trees on Earth, coast redwoods can exceed 100 metres in their native California. Less common in Britain than giant sequoias, they prefer sheltered, moist locations and can still reach impressive heights in the UK. The tallest known coast redwood in Britain is over 50 metres.
Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides)
A deciduous conifer thought to be extinct until rediscovered in a remote Chinese province in 1941. Seeds were distributed to botanical gardens worldwide in the late 1940s. Unlike its evergreen relatives, the dawn redwood loses its needles in winter, turning a striking copper-bronze in autumn.
Access
This location appears to be publicly accessible. Please check locally for current opening times and any admission charges.
Data sourced from Redwood World (redwoodworld.co.uk) and enriched by Redwood Finder.