Sequoiadendron giganteum is perennial and belongs to the Cupressaceae family. The NC State species profile lists a height of approximately 18.3–83.8 m.
As a gymnosperm, it does not produce true flowers or fruits like flowering broadleaved trees. Leaf or needle arrangement and reproductive structures help identify it.
Suitable light conditions listed in the profile are full sun. Appropriate soil and moisture also matter; individual plants do not all reach the same size. Lifespan: Wild specimens of the species can exceed 3,000 years; this record is not assigned to the Pendula cultivar. Growth and appearance of the ‘Pendula’ cultivar may differ from the species; species dimensions above are not a precise cultivar measurement.