Meet the Dawn Redwood
Dawn Redwood | Metasequoia glyptostroboides
How do you know it’s me?:
I am a large, deciduous conifer tree. (I lose my needles in the winter.)
I grow in a pyramidal shape.
I have soft-textured needles that turn a brown/copper color in fall. They are linear and arranged opposite from each other along each branch.
My needle leaves are often described as fern-like.
My brown/burgundy bark is fissured and flaky.
Female structures produce tiny brown cones, less than 1” in length. My male flowers produce inconspicuous pollen structures (called catkins).
How big do I grow?: 60’ - 100’ height and 15’ - 25’ spread.
Sun-seeker or shade-lover: Full sun.
Where I prefer to put my roots: I am fairly adaptable, but prefer deep, moist, well-drained soils that are slightly acidic. I am tolerant of wet soils and urban conditions.
Hardiness: Zone 4-8
Original home: I am native to central and western China.
Blooms: My flowers are inconspicuous, and separate male and female flower structures exist.
Wildlife friends: When planted in the United States, I don’t really have significant wildlife value, aside from providing habitat for birds and small mammals.
Flora Fun Facts: I was considered extinct until 1941, when I was discovered growing in the wild in a remote area of China. Until then, what was known about me came from fossil records.
More Info: This tree has many majestic and prehistoric qualities, but its features are fine - with soft, feathery leaves that provide a bright green backdrop to its shaggy, reddish-brown bark.
A member of the Cupressaceae (Cypress) family.
A fast growing, large tree - the Dawn Redwood requires space in the landscape. If it is provided with some room to prosper, it is a great addition to a woodland or water garden.
This coniferous tree is uniquely deciduous, dropping its needles every autumn.
