Featuring giant redwood / giant sequoia. Verified occurrence recorded by Redwood World. Thank you to Matthew Copus for telling us about these two Giant Redwoods that stand in Springhead/Cedar Ridge and for providing the above photograph. On visiting these trees we notice that, just as Matthew has told us, one is in excellent shape, but the other is a little sparse and looks as though it may be struggling. Matthew tells us: "The Tunbridge Wells Borough Council Tree Officer told me that although the healthy tree is protected by a "TPO", the other one, due to its poor state, no longer has any such protection. Apparently its problems have most likely been caused by the large amount of trenching carried out in the area in the past few years. Somewhat ominously, my enquiry as to whether anything could be done for this tree elicited the response that it was only possible to "make it safe" by removing dead branches. The Tree Officer thought that the Highways Department, based in Aylesford, near Maidstone, is responsible for these trees, which would seem logical, given their position either side of a road and not obviously on private property. All in all, despite evident affection for these trees among local people, the outlook for the now less vigorous one does not look rosy. It does seem a great shame that due to its position it has been subjected to this ill-treatment and appears to stand little chance of receiving any genuine remedial treatment, for instance of the kind used at Kew Gardens to rejuvenate trees which are suffering from the compacting of the ground around them (extreme in this case, given that much of it is covered by a tarmac road)." Matthew has planted his own Giant Redwoods in Wales as you can see on our Tall Tales page . Common Names and Latin Name
Visit information
- Access
- Access unknown
- Last verified
- 10 Apr 2026
- Official site
- redwoodworld.co.uk/picturepages/tunbridgewells2.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 Tunbridge Wells - Springhead
Tunbridge Wells - Springhead is located in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, 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.