Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Metasequoia glyptostroboides (Dawn Redwood)

Metasequoia glyptostroboides (Dawn Redwood)










Dawn Redwood Growing Zones: 4-8
Mature Height: 40-50 ft.
Mature Width: 20-30 ft.
Sunlight: Full or Partial
Soil Conditions: Very Adaptable
Drought Tolerance: Good
Fall color: Orange and yellow

The Dawn Redwood tree, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, is a deciduous conifer, with soft needle-like leaves that look like evergreens, but are bright green in the spring and brilliant orange/red in the fall. The needles are shed in the cold season of winter. Dawn Redwood trees are a very ornamental and interesting large tree, one of the few deciduous conifers in the world. It is feathery pyramidal in form with a straight, fluted trunk. It grows very fast to 40’ and can grow to 70’.

Low areas, that puddle after heavy rains, will kill almost any tree, except Dawn Redwoods. Metasequoia even grow in standing water.

Dawn Redwoods are considered by many to be the Fastest Growing Conifer. Under ideal conditions they have been reported to grow up to 5 feet per year.

Once very hard-to-find trees, but recent demand has boosted cultivation so that everyone can have access to this beautiful tree!

The Dawn Redwood’s beautiful, fern-like foliage develops in the spring and turns a gentle gold in the fall.

Great when planted alone as an ornamental tree or in groupings. A great tree for borders and fence lines. Grows consistently into a pyramidal form and makes an attractive shade tree.

Plant away from foundations and plan for it eventually being a large tree.

Adaptable to almost any soil - except desert sand … can withstand both moderate flooding and drought.