Dawn Redwood

A December scene at Rotary Park at Delta Municipal Hall highlights the beautiful form of the exquisite dawn redwoods.

An Unusual & Ancient Tree

A stunning dawn redwood at Beacon Hill Park, Victoria, BC.

Dawn redwoods become garden features during the winter.

Fall colour.

New spring foliage.

Their fern-like foliage is soft and green.

Dawn redwoods are spectacular in autumn.

Trees with attractive trunks-unusual trees-dawn redwood

Their trunks become more furrowed and craggy with age.

Common Name: dawn redwood
Botanical Name: Metasequoia glyptostroboides
Form: upright pyramidal, conical
Family: Cupressaceae
Genus: Metasequoia
Species: glyptostroboides
Plant Type: deciduous conifer
Mature Size: up to 100’ to 165’ tall x 12 – 25’ wide
Growth: fast
Origin: China
Hardiness Zone: 4 to 8
Foliage: opposite soft flattened green needles that are not retained throughout the winter, 1.25”, rust coloured fall foliage
Flowers: ¼” cones contain pollen, arranged in opposite pairs in four rows that dangle down in long tresses
Fruit: 1-inch cone
Exposure: full sun
Soil: prefers organic rich loam, well-drained, acidic, tolerant of damp soils but intolerant of dry and alkaline conditions
Uses: landscape specimen, street tree, parks,
Invasive Tendencies: no
Tolerates: moist, wet soils
Propagation: cuttings in early spring, seed
Pruning: only remove dead, diseased and damaged branches.
Problems: spider mites where conditions are dry, gets too big for most gardens

Comments:
Dawn redwoods, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, are magnificent, majestic trees that existed millions of years ago. Since then, they haven’t changed at all, according to their fossils that date back to the Cenomanian era. The dawn redwood tree is a ‘living fossil’ and is the only living species of the genus Metasequoia.

Dawn redwoods are one of a few fast-growing conifers, growing up to 3 feet every year. They bear small cones, however they are not evergreen, like most other conifers. In spring their silky soft green needles emerge then mature to an emerald green during the summer. In autumn, their foliage turns an exquisite reddish brown before they fall to the ground. Once the leaves are gone, their unusual twisted unworldly furrowed and fluted trunks are revealed. As trees age, their trunks become more fanciful, like fairy tale trees with their contorted, deeply furrowed bark.

Dawn redwoods don’t need any pruning as they are perfectly shaped pyramids with a wide buttressed trunk. The flared trunk provides a stable base for this gigantic tree that grows to over 100 feet. Despite its size, it’s becoming popular in urban gardens as it has many attributes. It’s not just beautiful, it’s magnificent and it looks great no matter what the season. Its bark is quite remarkable, especially in the winter and its leaves are so very soft and a lovely green. Their fiery fall colour is an added bonus.

As with many primitive trees, dawn redwoods are monoecious, which means they bear two types of cones on the same plant: male and female. The light brown female oval cones are ¾” long whilst the male ½” cones dangle down in long tresses. Note that cones are not produced in colder climates.

Dawn redwoods do best in rich, moist and loamy soils but perform poorly in dry soils. Select a sunny location, preferably in protected areas in more northern growing zones.

Before considering purchasing and planting a dawn redwood remember they are not just immensely tall, they grow quickly so make sure there is enough space for them to grow below and above ground.