Metasequoia glyptostroboides (Dawn Redwood) is a fast growing, deciduous tree that is native to southern China. Although Dawn Redwoods are currently endangered in their wild habitat, the species is widely renowned for its bonsai qualities. With small, soft leaves and tiny seed cones they make ideal characteristics for growing an attractive miniature version.
Suitable for Cold and Temperate climates.
Metasequoia glyptostroboides is the shortest of the Redwood tree varieties and now only survives in the wild among remote rivers and valleys surrounding the border of the Hubei and Hunan provinces in China. Dawn Redwoods are relatively fast-growing and some specimens are reported to have lived beyond 3000 years. Unlike the more common Coast Redwood, this species is deciduous and loses its leaves over winter.
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Growth
Metasequoia glyptostroboides is a coniferous deciduous tree that is a relatively smaller size of around 50 metres (165 feet) in a height by around 10 metres (33 feet) wide. Dawn Redwood trees thrive in temperate, cold conditions where the soil remains moist and leaves are protected from high winds.
Leaves are opposite and tiny at 1-3cm long and are a fresh green that turns a reddish brown during Autumn. In early Spring, pollen cones of up to 6mm grow on long spikes but are more common in regions that experience hot Summers. Cones eventually reach 2.5cm in length and are globose to ovoid and take around 9 months to mature after pollination.
Under the branches that grow off the trunk are distinctive pockets that appear like armpits and can form buttresses as they age. By 50 years of age, a Dawn Redwood tree can reach heights of up to 35 metres (114 feet) and form trunks that are as wide as 2 metres (7 feet).
Note: Germination instructions can be found in the ‘Germination Instructions Tab’ below. Upon purchase you will receive these detailed instructions via email so that you have a permanent record.
FAMILY:
Cupressaceae
CLIMATE:
Cold and Temperate climate
TEMPERATURE RANGE:
-30 to 30°C / -25 to 85°F
SOIL TYPE:
Soil must be well draining. Suitable for most types of soil but does not like boggy or clay soils that retain excess moisture.
LOCATION:
Full Sun
HEIGHT:
Up to 50 metres (165 feet)
WIDTH:
Up to 10 metres (33 feet)
pH:
6.0-7.0
GROWTH TYPE:
Deciduous
WATER REQUIREMENTS:
Low-Medium
POLLINATION:
Wind Pollinated
MATURITY:
15-20 Years
GERMINATION RATES:
55-60%
GERMINATION TIME:
Soak for 24 hours
Cold Stratification for 8 weeks, post sowing germination averages around 3-4 weeks.
GERMINATION DIFFICULTY:
Medium-Hard
SEEDS PER GRAM:
290
MEDICINAL QUALITIES:
No
WEED POTENTIAL:
No
EDIBLE:
No.
SEED STORGE & VIABILITY:
Cold Storage at 4°C (Fridge) up to 5 years.
FACTS ABOUT METASEQUOIA GLYPTOSTROBOIDES (Dawn Redwood)
Metasequoia glyptostroboides was considered to be extinct until midway through the 20th century when it was given its botanical name which referred to the Mesozoic Era in which scientists believe it dates back to.
The longest avenue of Dawn Redwood trees in the world is located in Pizhou, China and has approximately one million trees spanning 60km.
The rediscovery of the Dawn Redwood in China in 1947 gained worldwide attention, including an article in the San Francisco Chronicle in March 1948. By 1951, Metasequoia glyptostroboides had become a popular horticultural item in the United States and had specimens growing in the Kew Botanical Gardens in London as well as many others across continental Europe.
The Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania, United States have specimens planted in 1948 that were measured in 2018 at heights of up to 30 metres (99 feet).
To commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, a sapling was planted in Stratford Park in 1953.
