EcoWorld - Trees

The alerce is unique to the coastal temperate rainforests of southern Chile and the mountains of western Argentina. Sometimes called "the redwood of South America," it is more accurately described as a relative of the cypress. Heartwood brownish red and sharply demarcated from the narrow light-colored sapwood. Texture fine and uniform; straight grained; growth rings usually narrow; without distinctive odor or taste; resembles California redwood.

Height: 130 to 150 ft (40 to 46 meters) typically, heights of 240 ft (73 meters) with diameters of 15 ft (5 meters) have been recorded.

Lifespan: a specimen in Chile has been dated to the age of 3,622 years.

Habitat and Range: Occurs in the central part of Chile and in the Province of Chubut in southern Argentina. Typically on marshy ground but also at higher elevations on Isla de Chiloe and in Patagonia; forms dense, nearly pure forests.

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TREES SOURCE: U.S. Forest Service U.S.D.A. National Parks Service
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