Native to the Hubei and Hunan provinces of China, though once widespread around most of the Northern Hemisphere.
Fast-growing evergreen that grows up to 100 feet tall when mature.
Leaves are opposite and compound, occuring in sets of two along branches with each leaf containing a few dozen alternate, lanceolate leaflets or needles.
Feathery, fernlike leaves are soft to the touch and light green in color, turning to yellow or red in the fall.
Requires full sun and nutrient- and clay-rich soil of an acidic or neutral pH.
Hardiness zone 4-8
Provides winter cover but minimal food for animals.
Sentimental and Symbolic Value
Redwoods, with their longevity and immense statue, symbolize immortality and stability. The dawn redwood in particular is very much a living fossil, with its existence before 1941 only being know through fossil records.
The redwood is a celebration "of the stature and majesty of physical incarnation and creation", according to the Flower Essency Society.
The dawn redwood is the state fossil of Oregon.
Specimen photographed found at the Arnold Arboretum, Boston, Massachusetts. Part of the Ornamental Trees assignment (11/3/2021).
Plant History and Etymology
Some 2 million years ago this plant was widespread across almost every continent before becoming almost completely extinct. Peter Raven of the Missouri Botanical Garden theorizes that it was "perhaps the most abundant tree in [...] North America" some 50 million years ago. In 1941, a Chinese forester named Wang Zhan discovered a small population of it near Modaoxi, Hubei Province. The population, which the locals called 水杉 or "water fir", existed as part of a local shrine and was determined to be of a species yet unknown to science. In 1947, Arnold Arboretum director Elmer Drew Merrill financed an expedition to collect seed from this wild population, and brought back a few samples to plant in the arboretum, which became the 13 specimens that exist there today.
Design Considerations
This tree is beautiful but very large, meaning that it needs at least 25' of space to grow in. Its light, soft foliage and pyramidal form is very attractive, and it can be used as a specimen tree in a park or other large open area, as well as a street tree if pruned well. Its resistance to various diseases, pollution, and animals make it very resilient and able to thrive in poor environments. It is also an excellent shade tree and is very easy to transport.
Sources
Bartholomew, B, D E Boufford, and S A Spongberg. 1983. “Metasequoia Glyptostroboides-Its Present Status in Central China.” Journal of the Arnold Arboretum. 64: 105–28. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.part.27404.
“Metasequoia Glyptostroboides (Dawn Redwood) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.” 2021. Ncsu.edu. 2021. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/metasequoia-glyptostroboides/.
“Redwood: Symbolism, Information and Planting Instructions.” 2018. Bios Urn. February 21, 2018. https://urnabios.com/redwood-symbolism-information-planting-instructions/#:~:text=It%20is%20considered%20to%20be,which%20grow%20into%20old%20ages..
“THE METASEQUOIA MYSTERY.” 2016. Landscape Architecture Magazine. January 19, 2016. https://landscapearchitecturemagazine.org/2016/01/19/the-metasequoia-mystery/.
Wu, Cary, Qiang Fu, Jiaxin Gu, and Zhilei Shi. 2017. “Does Migration Pay Off? Returnees, Family Background, and Self Employment in Rural China.” ResearchGate. Chinese University Press. December 2017. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321276138_Does_Migration_Pay_Off_Returnees_Family_Background_and_Self_Employment_in_Rural_China.