Canadian Skyline Thread III

[zoomer]

/\ the picture O-tacular posted above is of a tree in Victoria. Yes, there are many sequoias scattered throughout Victoria, in James Bay, the Rockland neighbourhood, downtown, etc, etc. The one O-tacular posted is named Old Ben Mosser as donated in 1858 by the State of California to the people of Victoria.



Moss Street Home - February 22, 2024 by JohnnyJayEh, on Flickr

Sequoias in Irving Park



Victoria BC, March 1, 2025 - View from Orchard House by JohnnyJayEh, on Flickr

Also the peacocks like to sleep at night in the sequoias at Beacon Hill Park and the most obvious one is at the front lawn of the BC Parliament buildings (planted in 1863) which doubles as the tallest Christmas tree in Canada each year.



Inner Harbour - August 11, 2025 by JohnnyJayEh, on Flickr

one beside Christ Church Cathedral downtown.



Christ Church Cathedral - construction began in 1926. August 23, 2025. by JohnnyJayEh, on Flickr

You Calgary guys should take a trip to Victoria, I'll be your free tour guide, lol.

anyways, back to skyline photos - one I took from Casa Loma - not in Victoria in case people get confused...

View From Casa Loma - May 17, 2026 by JohnnyJayEh, on Flickr

[Glow Fun City]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Maybe the few giant sequoias from California will grow as tall as skyscrapers some day.

I'm in Vancouver and the cedar in my front yard will be taller than my ten storey building very soon!

[BlaineN]

Originally Posted by zoomer

/\ the picture O-tacular posted above is of a tree in Victoria. Yes, there are many sequoias scattered throughout Victoria, in James Bay, the Rockland neighbourhood, downtown, etc, etc. The one O-tacular posted is named Old Ben Mosser as donated in 1858 by the State of California to the people of Victoria.



Moss Street Home - February 22, 2024 by JohnnyJayEh, on Flickr

Very cool. You don't often see trees that large in Canada!

[zoomer]

/\ Old Ben Mosser is hard to appreciate from photos and looking up. It swallows up a good chunk of the yard - here's a pic by another Victoria photographer for scale followed by one of mine in the Rockland neighbourhood.



moss street (big tree) by r.a. paterson, on Flickr



Rockland Ave Sequoias - September 24, 2023 by JohnnyJayEh, on Flickr

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by zoomer

/\ the picture O-tacular posted above is of a tree in Victoria. Yes, there are many sequoias scattered throughout Victoria, in James Bay, the Rockland neighbourhood, downtown, etc, etc. The one O-tacular posted is named Old Ben Mosser as donated in 1858 by the State of California to the people of Victoria.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2pzXna1]

Just look at the sidewalk and the stepped up fence. The roots on that thing must be enormous!

one beside Christ Church Cathedral downtown.



Christ Church Cathedral - construction began in 1926. August 23, 2025. by JohnnyJayEh, on Flickr

That one looks like it's dying. Hopefully not. I'm guessing it's the same age as the Cathedral?

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by zoomer

/\ Old Ben Mosser is hard to appreciate from photos and looking up. It swallows up a good chunk of the yard - here's a pic by another Victoria photographer for scale followed by one of mine in the Rockland neighbourhood.



moss street (big tree) by r.a. paterson, on Flickr



Rockland Ave Sequoias - September 24, 2023 by JohnnyJayEh, on Flickr

Beautiful! But I wouldn't want my house beside one. If a storm ever fells it you'd be dead.

[zoomer]

That one looks like it's dying. Hopefully not. I'm guessing it's the same age as the Cathedral?

/\ It might, I'll have to check it again in the fall when the rain returns because a quick Google search indicates: "Dry, orange, or browning leaves on a sequoia tree typically mean the tree is experiencing seasonal needle shedding, drought stress, or root damage. While inner or lower branch discoloration is often a normal annual cycle, widespread or tip dieback points to environmental or physical distress". Being right up against the church can't be good for it. The current version of Christ Church Cathedral was started in 1926 so I assume the tree was planted around then.

Here's a great indication of height and combination of big buildings and big trees, a pic I took in Vancouver which is very healthy despite the building beside it.



1501 Haro Street - Vancouver, June 13, 2023 by JohnnyJayEh, on Flickr

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by BlaineN

Very cool. You don't often see trees that large in Canada!

Actually there are massive tree species here that may have been taller than Redwoods. There are unverified records of 400' and larger Douglas Fir that were harvested 100+ years ago. Western Redcedar, Hemlock, Sitka Spruce can all get well over 300', maybe as tall as 400'. Vancouver Island likely has the tallest trees on the continent outside California. The whole west coast from northern California to southern Alaska is a temperate rainforest with the same ability to grow trees this size, Vancouver Island just hasn't been logged quite as extensively as areas on the mainland. There is a ton of pressure from logging companies to cut the old growth, but there is equal pressure from environmentalists and first nations to protect them. I suggest following a guy on Instagram called TJ Watt, he documents massive trees then the aftermath when a logging company does get a license to harvest giants, kinda sad.

[MolsonExport]

the Lynn Valley Tree (Douglas Fir) was measured at 415 feet (126.5 meters).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynn_Valley_Tree

[Docere]

Lynn Valley is what - 15 minutes from downtown?

BC really is Canada's Pacific Paradise. Hope to visit again soon.

[O-tacular]

Calgary has nothing like those redwoods (though we do have Douglas Firs in the West end) but this tree in Sunnyside has a plaque designating it the largest in he city I think. It towers noticeably above the neighbourhood and some midrise apartments nearby.



There's even a Reddit page about it:

https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3...3fe632408a68b42f24bf6bb83385755165c02621

[Wpg_Guy]

The Great Canadian Tree Thread

[Five Four]

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

The Great Canadian Tree Thread

If a tree is large enough can it be considered part of the skyline?

[Wpg_Guy]

Originally Posted by Five Four

If a tree is large enough can it be considered part of the skyline?

I guess so - but only after it files the proper zoning paperwork, upsets the local NIMBYS and starts charging $4,000 a month for a shoebox apartment.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

The Great Canadian Tree Thread

That would make for a nice thread. Skyscrapers of the forest.

I used to vacation a lot on Vancouver Island, and I would always stop at Cathedral Grove, just past Cameron Lake, on the road to Pacific Rim National Park. I've probably been there 50 times.

[Zeej]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

That would make for a nice thread. Skyscrapers of the forest.

I used to vacation a lot on Vancouver Island, and I would always stop at Cathedral Grove, just past Cameron Lake, on the road to Pacific Rim National Park. I've probably been there 50 times.

Cathedral Grove is majestic, though people I've met in Port Alberni claim that the famous speeder scene from Star Wars was filmed there.

[craner]

Fascinating - I love big trees.
They definitely create their own skyline.

As Molson said - a stop at Cathedral Gove on the island is highly recommended.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by Zeej

Cathedral Grove is majestic, though people I've met in Port Alberni claim that the famous speeder scene from Star Wars was filmed there.

Interesting. No doubt, there is a high similarity.

The speeder bike chase scene in Return of the Jedi was primarily filmed in Cheatham Grove (Owen Cheatham Redwood Grove) within Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park, Northern California.

I've been there as well. Both places are treasures.

On Vancouver Island, grow the world’s largest-known Douglas-fir, the Red Creek Fir, the world’s largest-known Red Cedar, the Cheewhat Giant, and Canada’s largest spruce, San Jo’s Smiley.

Port Renfrew on southern Vancouver Island is known as the “Tall Trees Capital of Canada.” There, you can find burly Red Cedars at the famed Avatar Grove, the magnificent San Juan Spruce, as well as Big Lonely Doug, Canada’s second-largest Douglas-fir tree.

The tallest known tree in Canada is a 315 ft (96 m) Sitka spruce dubbed the Carmanah Giant in the Carmanah Valley.


The widest is a Red Cedar at Cheewhat Lake, which is nearly 20 ft (6 m) in diameter.


It doesn't surprise me that some innovative architects (Gaudi, in particular) took inspiration from old growth forests.

Inside the famous Sagrada Familia (Barcelona):

[O-tacular]

Seeing the completed Sagrada Familia is on my bucket list. I saw it 21 years ago from outside, when it was half the current height. It also changes colours throughout the day from morning to night on the interior as a result of the large stained glass window walls. Mesmerizing architecture that actually feels spiritual, bridging the gap with nature and transcending generations that helped to build it. Gaudi was incredible.

Visited Cathedral Grove once as a kid and once 9 years ago. It's something every Canadian should see in person. Incredible.



Wouldn't it be something if a future giant regrew from this stump?

[Calgarian]

I've never been to the Cathedral Grove, but I do like to stop at the Giant Cedars Boardwalk by Revelstoke on road trips through BC. These trees are pretty damn massive and are part of the inland rainforest that makes the Revy area so neat.