I would like to call the attention of your readers to a very large coast redwood tree, Sequoia sempervirens, in the middle of downtown Vashon, on the east side of the street just to the south Treasure Island, the antique store. I estimate the age to be about 115 years old based upon other examples that I’ve seen taken down for one reason or another. The diameter of the trunk is probably greater than 6 feet at breast height.

Its a fabulous and monumental tree. Coast redwood is not indigenous to Washington, but it thrives here. It’s a little less frost tolerant than Douglas fir. This tree must have been planted around the turn of the last century, when Vashon was something of a hot bed of horticultural fantasies. It has survived many a hard winter, many a howling wind, and has extraordinarily beautiful foliage. Take a gander at it. It’s something to appreciate.

— Hans Nelsen