Albino Redwoods, Ghosts of the Forest: Science on the SPOT

Pale ghosts that hide amidst their gigantic siblings, only a few dozen Albino redwood trees are known to exist. They are genetic mutants that lack the chlorophyll needed for photosynthesis-- how and why they survive is a scientific mystery. QUEST ventures into the deep canopy of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park near Felton, California to track down these elusive phantoms of the forest.

• Category

  Science & Technology

[RedwoodExplorer]

The albino redwoods I've seen, lead me to expect that there may be one or two hundred. When its overcast and moist, even regular green foliage looks whitish and makes these hard to spot. I suspect that there are a bunch more like just inches or a couple of feet tall that have not been spotted: cloaked by the forest - M. D. Vaden / Redwood Trekker

[sgreddin]

Hahah "this is the offspring that sits on the couch and doesn't get a job"

[SkylineToTheSeaAndMe]

By the way, the town is called Felton, not Fulton.

[SkylineToTheSeaAndMe]

Redwoods are remarkably resilient, and unlike any other tree on earth with their amazing properties and characteristics (and I'm not even referring to the size or height). I can't understand how human beings could be dumb enough to cut down an old growth Redwood tree, let alone clear cut a Redwood forest.

[Joe Serrano]

ROFLMAO!!! XD

[Joe Serrano]

Much obliged for the trust and confidence ya have in us,....we all must care for Mother Earth, she's home to a very wide range of diverse organisms! Thumbs up and thankin' ya for the COOL Share! =)

[coolchild2001]

such a beautiful little documentary haha.. i loved it !

[coolchild2001]

LMFAO i loled so hard.



[Josh Talbot]

Has anyone considered that this might be a beneficial adaptation. Why should the host tree bother to expend the energy for the albino offspring to produce chlorophyl if the daughter tree is unlikely to photosynthesize much down in the dark undergrowth? Perhaps after the host dies the albino could sense that death and through some chemical signaling start producing its own chlorophyl. Have we ever witnessed the death of an "albino" tree's host to see how they fare afterwards?