Dawn Redwood

Do any of you have experience with Dawn Redwoods? I realize they aren't really redwoods at all, and have had one myself at my last house. Having said that, I am wondering how much moisture they can handle in the ground. I just purchased a "Goldrush" version of the tree, a Dawn Redwood that is yellow - quite striking. I am planting it in a bed with a couple of Robinia Pseudoacacia "Frisia"s. Since they also want to be yellow, it should be striking against a very green lawn and the red of the barkdust underneath. Anyway, it is nearing a wetland and I'm wondering about the feet of the redwood - or the frisias, for that matter. Any help would be appreciated.

Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) can handle very moist soils. It won't like having its roots in water full-time like baldcypress (Taxodium distichum), but shouldn't have any problem with being in water for short periods of time.

The Robina will resent being planted in very moist, poorly-drained soils. Robina prefers VERY well-drained, poor soils. Robina is a legume and can fix atmospheric nitrogen.
Mike

Such a beautiful tree. We have been looking forward to planting several when we can afford. May I ask where you purchased and a ball-park price paid? Thanks!

Dea, I bought 2 foot bare root saplings on ebay 3 for 9.99 not realizing I could buy a full size tree at a nearby nursery. The regular price was 25.00 for a 5 gal. tree probably 12 feet high. I bought it. It has new growth already,and my twig has also grown about 2 inches. I only saw them in one nursery around here.

I'm not sure which one you're talking about. The Frisias were a bit more expensive than that here, more like $40 for one 12' or so tall with a caliper of about 1.5". The Dawn Redwood "goldrush" was substantially more than that, actually over $100. But at least around here, they simply are not to be found. That one is smaller - probably 7' or so. But I must say: it is lovely. I planted the 2 Friscias at one end of a large flower bed surrounding a sunken patio area, with the Dawn at the other end. Quite striking. Now I'm trying out where to plant an Acer Campestre "Carnivale." It is quite a pretty tree, with very white leaves with a dark green edge. Not being familiar with capestres, I'm not quite sure what to expect. I may include it somewhere in this bed which is probably 150' long.

I just pulled out the tag, it says "Metasequoia glyptostroboides" Dawn Redwood. I got it at the buy one get one free, and as it was the last one, I bought a magnolia for 39.00 and got the redwood for free!

Puplover, there is a difference between Dawn Redwood aka Metasequoia Glyptstrobiodes" and the particular cultivar named "Goldrush." That one has only been on the market for about a year, and is yellow - quite striking, really. If you can get one of those at a "buy one, get one free" sale, you're really doing something. At least around here, you rarely can find them at all.

billr, I'll watch for it next year at the same nursery. The one I planted is really loved by Japanese beetles, that was kind of surprising to me, I thought the only loked flowers and regular leaves.

According to my source a Dawn Redwood is a real redwood. It belongs to the Redwood Family (Taxodiaceae) which includes Sequoia, Cryptomeria (Japanese Cedar), Metasequoia (Dawn Redwood), and Taxodium (Baldcypress). Dawn Redwood is really a lovely graceful tree. I have three in the front yard with a fourth very soon, one in the backyard, and one in a bonsai pot. Here in Central Ohio the best source that I have found is a place near Mansfield on East Route 30, 5-6' trees in 2-gallon containers for $14.95. When young they will grow straight up really fast. The two that I planted two years ago have more than doubled in size. I agree that they will take wetter conditions but they won't like it swampy like the Baldcypress. In actuality, Baldcypress doesn't really prefer it wet; it's just that it has adapted well and tolerates it. You can grow Baldcypress just fine as a yard specimen in Ohio. There are some on the State House lawn! :-)

beechoak, are yours getting attacked by japanese beetles?

Beo: I think your source is not accurate concerning the etymology of the Dawn Redwood. The articles I have read about it say that it is neither a true redwood nor a true cyprus, two different classes folks try to classify it as. It is called "metasequoia" instead of "sequoia" precisely for that reason. It is "like" a sequoia in some senses. Some say that in terms of its development it is one of the oldest kinds of tree specimens that exist. Amazing, no?

Do note that this tree is deciduous, and has juvenile and mature foliage differences. The bright green juvenile foliage will mature dark green then turn light bronze, yellow, gold, apricot or red in fall. The orange-brown to red-brown bark is also deciduous by peeling in stringy vertical flaky strips. Mature trunks age gray, rugged and buttressed base to 9', and needs room to grow. Structurally interesting even when bare. This living fossil was re-discovered in 1946 in China.

This message was edited Jun 30, 2004 11:00 PM

The real beauty of an old Dawn Redwood lies at its base. The
base has beautiful exposed roots with soft hues of various colors and appears like melted wax from a long-burning candle.
This one is one of the first specimens planted in the country at Sarah Duke Gardens in Durham, NC.