Sequoioideae

Sequoioideae, commonly referred to as redwoods, is a subfamily of coniferous trees within the family Cupressaceae that range in the northern hemisphere. It includes the largest and tallest trees in the world. The trees in the subfamily are amongst the most distinctive trees in the world and are common ornamental trees. The subfamily reached its peak of diversity during the early Cenozoic. They are fast-growing trees that live in temperate climates such as Mediterranean and humid subtropical climates. Three living species are known, the coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), the giant redwood (Sequoiadendron giganteum) and the dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides). While the coast redwood and the giant redwood are found in the western United States, the dawn redwood is known from China.