Dawn Redwood Metasequoia Glyptostroboides

Metasequoia glyptostroboides, commonly known as dawn redwood, is a deciduous coniferous tree that grows in a conical shape up to 100 feet tall. It is closely related to and resembles bald cypress (Taxodium) and redwood (Sequoia) trees.

Introduction

Dawn redwood grows in a perfect pyramid 70 to 90 feet tall and was known from fossils before living plants were discovered in China. It is similar in appearance to bald cypress. Although it looks like an evergreen, the needles are deciduous. The orange-red to brown trunk base is the most outstanding part of the tree. It tapers and thickens quickly with 8 to 12 large buttress-like root flares extending several feet up the tree in a manner unlike any other tree except some tropical trees. As with any other tree, butt flare (increased caliper at the base of the trunk) can be reduced somewhat by removing the lower branches at an early age. The small, upright-spreading branches are well-attached to the typically straight trunk and make for excellent climbing. The tree requires little if any pruning to maintain the pyramidal form. Lightning protection is recommended for older trees since they usually grow taller than most others.

Dawn redwood Cupressaceae Metasequoia glyptostroboides Hu & W.C. Cheng symbol: MEGL8 Leaf: Opposite, deciduous, linear, one inch long, flat, generally appearing two-ranked in a flattened display; when growing on deciduous branchlets the leaf/deciduous branchlet structure resembles a feathery pinnately (or bi-pinnately) compound leaf, green to yellow-green.
Hamlet’s Broom Dawn Redwood. Metasequoia glyptostroboides ‘Hamlet’s Broom’ is a compact form of Dawn Redwood with creamy white variegated foliage in spring, changing to bright green in summer and becoming golden yellow to deep russet in fall before needle drop as winter approaches.

Figure 1.

Middle-aged Metasequoia glyptostroboides: Dawn Redwood

Credit:

Ed Gilman, UF/IFAS

[Click thumbnail to enlarge.]

General Information

Scientific name: Metasequoia glyptostroboides

Pronunciation: met-uh-see-KWOY-uh glip-toe-stroe-BOY-deez

Common name(s): Dawn redwood

Family: Taxodiaceae

USDA hardiness zones: 5A through 8B (Fig. 2)

Origin: not native to North America

Invasive potential: little invasive potential

Uses: screen; specimen; street without sidewalk; parking lot island 100-200 sq ft; parking lot island > 200 sq ft; sidewalk cutout (tree pit); tree lawn 4-6 feet wide; tree lawn > 6 ft wide; highway median

Availability: somewhat available, may have to go out of the region to find the tree

Description

Height: 70 to 90 feet

Spread: 15 to 25 feet

Crown uniformity: symmetrical

Crown shape: pyramidal

Crown density: open

Growth rate: fast

Texture: fine

Foliage

Leaf arrangement: opposite/subopposite (Fig. 3)

Leaf type: simple

Leaf margin: entire

Leaf shape: linear

Leaf venation: none, or difficult to see

Leaf type and persistence: deciduous

Leaf blade length: less than 2 inches

Leaf color: green

Fall color: yellow, orange

Fall characteristic: showy

Figure 3.

Foliage

[Click thumbnail to enlarge.]

Flower

Flower color: unknown

Flower characteristics: not showy

Fruit

Fruit shape: round, elongated

Fruit length: .5 to 1 inch

Fruit covering: dry or hard

Fruit color: brown

Fruit characteristics: does not attract wildlife; not showy; fruit/leaves not a litter problem

Trunk and Branches

Trunk/bark/branches: branches droop; very showy; typically one trunk; thorns

Pruning requirement: little required

Breakage: resistant

Current year twig color: green, brown

Current year twig thickness: thin

Wood specific gravity: unknown

Culture

Light requirement: full sun

Soil tolerances: clay; sand; loam; acidic; extended flooding; well-drained

Drought tolerance: moderate

Aerosol salt tolerance: low

Other

Roots: not a problem

Winter interest: yes

Outstanding tree: yes

Ozone sensitivity: tolerant

Verticillium wilt susceptibility: resistant

Pest resistance: resistant to pests/diseases

Use and Management

The tree has been used primarily as a specimen, but there are reports of it being very tolerant of air pollution and it has done well as a street tree with lower branches removed. Lower branches should be left on the tree for most other uses to enjoy the graceful form and delightful foliage. Do not plant in soil with a high pH.

The tree grows rapidly but late season growth may be injured by early frosts. The preferred soil is moist and moderately fertile, but Metasequoia does not appear to be impacted by drought, having survived in urban landscapes during recent summer droughts. It will also tolerate wet soil. It appears to be adapted to clay soil and grows best when located on continually moist sites with slightly acidic soil.

Propagation is from seeds or cuttings taken in late summer.

The cultivar 'National' grows to 85 feet tall.

Pests and Diseases

Relatively free of pests, except for a canker which has been reported recently.

Footnotes

This document is ENH-566, one of a series of the Environmental Horticulture Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date November 1993. Revised December 2006. Reviewed February 2014. Visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

Edward F. Gilman, professor, Environmental Horticulture Department; Dennis G. Watson, former associate professor, Agricultural Engineering Department, UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other UF/IFAS Extension publications, contact your county's UF/IFAS Extension office.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, UF/IFAS Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A & M University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, dean for UF/IFAS Extension.

Basic Information

Metasequoia Glyptostroboides Care

The dawn redwood is a fast growing decidious tree and a true 'living fossil,' because its fossilized remains were discovered before living plants were found. It dominated forests of the Northern Hemisphere before almost going extinct in the Age of Mammals. It was saved from extinction in the 1940's and can be found today in parks and large gardens at heights of 200 ft tall and up.

Location

Collected Data

Bark

The dawn redwood has an orangeish-brown bark color that covers a thick, tapering trunk and a broad, buttressed base.

Twigs & branches

Demonstrating the typical conifer shape, the Dawn Redwood has a narrow, pyramidal verdure with sparse, upward-sweeping branches.

Foilage

The leaves of the Dawn Redwood are typically between 0.4 and 1.25 inches (1–3 cm) long, and bright fresh green, turning a foxy red-brown in the fall.

Reproductive Structures

The dawn redwood is a monoecious species: light yellow-brown male cones hang in clusters, while yellow-green female cones hang individually.

Seasons

Media and Arts

Ode to Dawn Redwood

Dear Dawn,

Last name Redwood; may I say you look quite good?

You are beautiful and majestic, a real sight to see,

Standing your ground firmly in front of the Peabody.

Your slender frame extends way up high,

Housing little birds that need a rest from the sky.

In your pyramidal form, you stand tall at 25.6 meters,

Your relatives can’t compete, such as the Eastern Redcedar.

Oh Dawn, you look a little bare,

But not to worry, I’m not easily scared.

I know you shed your needles every fall,

This makes sense since you conserve energy overall.

Luckily it’s spring; I see your buds tiny and green,

Sprouting off your branches just trying to be seen.

Your phenomenal growth rate in the eastern and southern US,

Would have any sort of critic thoroughly impressed.

Metasequoia Glyptostroboides Lightning

Must be the rain that keeps you going so strong,

Good thing Connecticut is the place where you belong.

You need plenty of sunshine let’s not forget,

You like your space, and crowding makes you fret.

When it comes to reproduction you’re a breeding machine,

Both male and female cones help carry out your dream.

Dawn, monoecious should be your middle name,

Your cones are not on separate plants, but simply on the same.

Metasequoia Glyptostroboides North Light

However, historically, this has not always been the case,

At one point in time, you were thought to be erased.

I’m ecstatic you prevailed to be with us today,

And since it is your christening, I have a few more things to say.

Dawn, I am so proud of you and everything you’ve done,

Learning all about you has been more than fun.

As you carry on just know that you are loved,

I will think of you always, when the sun shines from above.