Tu B’shvat

How Old Are Redwood Trees?

Learn how many candles to put on the birthday cake.

Have you ever looked up at a redwood tree and wondered how old it is? Tu B’shvat is a Jewish holiday that celebrates the birthday of the trees.

But exactly how many candles do we put on a birthday cake for a tree when we don’t know how old it is? Deborah Newbrun, a naturalist and former park ranger, shows us how we can guess the age of any tree.