Source: Singing Tree Gardens Nursery (CA)
Size shipped: #1 pot, minus the pot (measured 2'+)
Planted:
First flowering: Who cares?
The giant sequoia being a national treasure as it is, and this cultivar having originated right here in New Jersey (not far from our home), and this part of the country being one of the very few that has the climate to properly support growing a giant sequoia, I couldn't not get one of these... once I found one that was in a small enough size not to cost three figures.
The Hazel Smith sequoia grew about 5" over the summer of 2020, and in late September to early October appeared to be bifurcating and starting to push again... however, it was still quite troubling, the amount of foliage that turned orange and snapped off easily in September and October (compare the first two photos). The branches turned orange from the inside out, and only lower and inner branches were affected, which from what I've read is consistent with underwatering (and not cercospora leaf spot, which I would have been very upset about, considering I sprayed this thing with Fung-onil once a week during the summer).
Thankfully, May 2021 saw Hazel unmistakably pushing new growth quite vigorously all over the place, so the foliage shedding from the previous autumn didn't appear to have lasting ill effects. The shedding beginning again in August, and again only the inner and lower branches, made it clear that this is a normal annual process and no cause for alarm after all.