To start of the tree in question is the more shrub like structure in front of the other tree in the picture, not the more conventional looking tree in the background.

An 'albino' redwood is a redwood tree which is unable to produce chlorophyll, and has white needles instead of the normal green. It survives by obtaining sugar through the connections between its roots and those of neighboring non albino redwood(s), usually the parent tree from whose base it has sprouted. Sap exchange through roots is a general phenomenon among redwoods. About 400 are known. They can be found in Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, Humboldt Redwoods State Park, San Francisco botanical gardens, and The Santa Lucia Preserve, with eleven trees in the first. The exact locations are not publicized to protect the rare trees. They reach a maximum height of about 20 m (66 ft). Other conifers lack the ability to graft their roots, so 'albino' mutants of other species do not survive to become sizable trees.

The trees were important to Native Americans and were recorded in their legends. For example, the Pomo people used them in their cleansing ceremonies.

Albino redwoods are generally regarded as parasitic plants, but as of 2016 one researcher speculates that they are supported by other trees for their role in storing toxic heavy metals. Albinos apparently accumulate more metals than normal trees because of defective stomata, which cause them to lose more water through transpiration, forcing them to compensate by taking up more water through their roots.

On the surface, it sounds like these trees have a pretty sweet arrangement, but the truth is this freeloader strategy is not without its challenges. Even when they're feeding off the healthiest of trees, many albino redwoods are weak and malnourished, which is why so many of them look like dying Christmas trees.

Ten cases are known of chimeric redwoods that have a mosaic of albino and normal tissues. Only a single chimeric redwood is known to produce cones. Formerly threatened by the Sonoma–Marin Area Rail Transit rail development, it has since been replanted.

Picture of a bigger one https://www.treehugger.com/thmb/V8fOGyCvf5V6QlSXDOsUFyJtiT0=/750x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__mnn__images__2015__04__Humboldt-Redwoods-State-Park-Albino-59c5798b06264b68a8db15d18c763382.jpg

Video of the trees https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=os5mZQLpe98

And article some of info was sourced from https://www.treehugger.com/the-mysterious-world-of-albino-redwood-trees-4867273

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  • Huldra [they/them, it/its]
    ·
    2 years ago

    I guess I have to assume this is another US/European thing like potato salad vs "French potato salad"(basically just kind of a vinaigrette over boiled potatoes.)

    But the US potato salad is like at least marginally defensible, I cant imagine a coleslaw that doesnt have an acidic kick.