Aptos Blue Redwood (Aptos Blue Coast Redwood) care

Light

Aim for at least 4-6 hours of direct sun on the leaves. Full sun is optimal for the best blue-green foliage colour and vigorous upright growth. Will tolerate partial shade, but the distinctive blue colouration is most intense with at least 6 hours of direct sun per day. If your only bright window faces south, that's perfect for aptos blue redwood — same window any aroid would fry on.

Watering

Watering aptos blue redwood: weekly when young; every 1–2 weeks when established. The number that matters isn't the day of the week — it's how dry the top 2-3 cm of the pot feels. A finger in the soil tells you more than a watering app. After every watering, tip the saucer. Requires consistent moisture, especially during summer dry periods. Deep, infrequent watering encourages a deep root system. Mulch the root zone to conserve soil moisture. Drought stress causes needle browning and tip die-back.

Soil and pot

Aptos Blue Redwood grows best in deep, moist, well-drained, slightly acidic loam. Thrives in fertile, slightly acidic soil (pH 5.5–6.5) with good drainage. Tolerates heavier soils better than many conifers if drainage is adequate. Incorporate organic matter at planting to improve moisture retention and structure. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Aptos Blue Redwood sits happiest at around Moderate to high (50–80%) humidity and -10 to 38°C (14 to 100°F). Native to coastal fog belt conditions; appreciates moderate to high atmospheric humidity. In dry continental climates, regular irrigation partially compensates, but coastal or mediterranean sites are ideal. If you keep the room above year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed aptos blue redwood sparingly. Apply a slow-release acidifying conifer fertiliser in early spring. Young trees benefit from annual feeding for the first 3–5 years to support rapid establishment. Mature trees in fertile soil need little additional nutrition. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on aptos blue redwood in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Spider mites in hot, dry conditions — Hot, dry summers encourage spider mite infestations, visible as stippled, bronzed needles. Increase irrigation, raise humidity around the canopy, and apply insecticidal soap or horticultural oil early in the season.
• Cankers from mechanical damage — Redwoods are susceptible to Botryosphaeria canker if bark is wounded. Avoid lawn mower and strimmer contact; prune only in dry weather with sterilised tools.
• Summer leaf scorch on new growth — Young pendulous shoot tips may scorch in intense reflected heat or persistent dry winds. Water deeply and site away from heat-reflecting walls in hot inland gardens.

Propagation

Cuttings are the standard method to preserve cultivar characteristics. Take semi-hardwood cuttings in late summer, treat with IBA rooting hormone, and root under mist or in a humid propagation frame. Seed-raised plants will not reproduce the blue pendulous form of 'Aptos Blue'. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Aptos Blue Redwood is pet-safe. Sequoia sempervirens cultivars, including 'Aptos Blue', are not listed as toxic by ASPCA. The species and its cultivars have no documented toxic principles to dogs or cats. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Aptos Blue Redwood deep-dive guides

Every aspect of aptos blue redwood care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Common aptos blue redwood problems & fixes
• Aptos Blue Redwood watering schedule
• Aptos Blue Redwood light requirements
• Best soil mix for aptos blue redwood
• Aptos Blue Redwood fertilizing guide
• When to repot aptos blue redwood
• How to propagate aptos blue redwood
• How to prune aptos blue redwood
• What's eating my aptos blue redwood?
• Aptos Blue Redwood growth rate & size
• Aptos Blue Redwood cold hardiness
• Aptos Blue Redwood temperature & humidity
• Is aptos blue redwood toxic to cats & dogs?
• Is aptos blue redwood toxic to cats?
• Is aptos blue redwood toxic to dogs?
• Getting aptos blue redwood to bloom

Featured in these plant shortlists

Aptos Blue Redwood qualifies for 13 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

• Best pet-safe houseplants — Houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs — every one verified against the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list.
• Best drought-tolerant houseplants — Houseplants that prefer to dry out — forgiving of forgotten watering and ideal for travel or busy weeks.
• Best humidity-loving houseplants — Houseplants that thrive in a bathroom, kitchen, or by a humidifier — selected by documented humidity preference.
• Best flowering houseplants — Indoor plants grown for their blooms — selected from the flowering species in Growli’s plant-care library.
• Best pet-safe low-maintenance plants — Non-toxic to cats and dogs and forgiving of forgotten watering — the easiest safe choices for a busy pet household.
• Best pet-safe flowering plants — Flowering houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs — colour and blooms in a pet home, without the worry.
• Best pet-safe plants for bright light — Non-toxic to cats and dogs and happy in a bright, sunny spot — safe plants for your best-lit windowsill.
• Best pet-safe large indoor plants — Big, floor-standing houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs — a statement plant that is safe around pets.
• Best houseplants for full sun — Houseplants that want direct sun — the species for a hot south or west-facing windowsill where shade-lovers scorch.
• Best houseplants for a cool room — Houseplants that tolerate cool conditions down to about 10°C — for an unheated spare room, hallway, porch or a home kept cool.
• Best fast-growing houseplants — Houseplants documented as fast or vigorous growers — quick to fill a pot, cover a pole or trail down a shelf.
• Best cat-safe plants — Houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats (and dogs) — safe greenery for a home with a curious cat.
• Best dog-safe plants — Houseplants the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to dogs (and cats) — safe greenery for a home with a curious dog.
• Browse all 29 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more

Related guides

Aptos Blue Redwood is also commonly called Aptos Blue Redwood or Aptos Blue Coast Redwood.

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