Featuring giant redwood / giant sequoia. Verified occurrence recorded by Redwood World. Once standing in the grounds of old offices belonging to British Telecomm, this tree is now pride of place in the garage showroom forecourt in Girling Street (A131). Since at least 2006, it is now growing in its own neat circle of earth surrounded by new block paving. Despite this being contrary to accepted wisdom, the tree seems to have remained in excellent health. Perhaps this is because block paving allows a certain amount of water and air to percolate through, unlike solid concrete or tarmac. The pictures show both before and after the boundary change, which certainly made measuring a lot easier! It is not always easy to appreciate just how tall Giant Redwoods grow, but walking past this superb example it becomes quite apparant.
Visit information
- Access
- Access unknown
- Last verified
- 10 Apr 2026
- Official site
- redwoodworld.co.uk/picturepages/sudbury.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
Field observations
Photos
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Redwood at Sudbury - Girling Street
About this place
About Sudbury - Girling Street
Sudbury - Girling Street is located in Sudbury, Suffolk, 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.
Data sourced from Redwood World (redwoodworld.co.uk) and enriched by Redwood Finder.