Dawn Redwood

Metasequoia glyptostroboides

Height: 70-100ft
Spread: 15-25ft
Zone: 4-8
Exposure: Full sun
Growth Rate: Fast
Bloom Time/Color: N/A
Fall Color: Bronze/red
Uses: Specimen, shade tree, street tree, bogs
Maintenance: Low
Tree Shape: Pyramidal
Other: Deciduous, deer resistant

Once thought extinct, the ancient dawn redwood has made a comeback and is now being planted in landscapes with growing popularity. It prefers consistently moist, well-drained soils in full sun, however it is quite adaptable to dry sites, salts, and other urban growing conditions as well as wet and clay soils. Dawn redwood is distinguished by its feathery, soft, fern-like needles and attractive, cinnamon-colored fluted bark. It is considered a deciduous conifer, and by autumn, the needles turn a russet, bronze-red before shedding. Cones may be present. Dawn redwoods have no disease or insect issues and deer tend to avoid these trees. Fun fact: this Asian species of redwood has been found in fossil records dating back to 50,000,000 years ago.