Detroit is certainly a city known for its hard times, as well as its resilience and rebirth.
Now, a surprising and majestic chapter is quietly unfolding in the Motor City. A grove of giant sequoia trees are beginning to take root in Detroit.
A rendering of what a forest in the city could look like in years to come.
These legendary trees, among the largest and oldest living organisms on Earth, are native to California’s Sierra Nevada.
But now, through the efforts of Archangel Ancient Tree Archive, an organization devoted to cloning and replanting champion trees around the world, a small grove of sequoias is being planted in the Motor City.
Their mission is to protect the genetics of the world’s most iconic trees, and to give them a new lease on life in places where they can continue to thrive in the face of climate change.
Why Detroit? With ample rainfall, no risk of wildfire, and enough space to stretch skyward, Detroit may become an unlikely, yet welcoming, new home for these botanical titans.
Hardy and adaptive, these ancient trees are surprisingly resilient.
Andrew “Birch” Kemp checks a tag on a planted sequoia tree seedling in Detroit, Friday, March 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Check out the video below, to learn more about how and why these trees were planted.
As the trees mature, they will create an urban oasis that will transform the city’s neighborhood into a welcoming beacon.
Even better, the trees will provide shade, reduce air pollution, and sequester carbon in the city for decades to come.
Planted in Detroit’s Poletown East neighborhood, the trees could reach 15 feet in height in ten years. Giant Sequoias can grow over 300 feet tall, and reach ages of over 3,000 years old.
It will be decades before these young sequoias begin to resemble the towering elders of California, but their presence already speaks volumes.
Image via AP Photo / Paul Sancya
In a world grappling with uncertainty, Detroit’s sequoia grove is a quiet, green promise: that beauty, life, and growth can take root in the most unexpected places.
You can support Archangel Ancient Tree Archive and their mission on their website.
We’d be thrilled to see how this grove matures over the coming centuries. The idea of massive trees in an urban setting is exciting and inspiring.
Read more on the Smithsonian.
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