Dawn Redwood
Metasequoia glyptostroboides · Deciduous Conifer (Softwood)
Plant Family
Cupressaceae (Cypress family)
Tree Category
Ornamental / Shade Tree / Deciduous Conifer
Variety / Cultivar
Species (Metasequoia glyptostroboides)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 5a through 8b. Highly adaptable to warm summers and cold winters.
About This Tree
A fast-growing, deciduous conifer with a neat, conical or narrow-pyramidal form when young, maturing into a large tree with a broad base and buttressed trunk. The foliage features soft, feathery, bright green needles arranged oppositely along graceful, light green branchlets.
Leaf Characteristics
Feathery, soft, linear needles about 0.5 to 0.75 inches long, opposite in arrangement along small branchlets. Bright green in spring and summer, turning rich copper, russet, or orange-brown in autumn before dropping.
Bark Characteristics
Reddish-brown to cinnamon-brown, soft, fibrous, and stringy. Exfoliates into long vertical strips and becomes deeply fissured, buttressed, and fluted at the base as the tree ages.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Sichuan and Hubei provinces in south-central China; widely planted across temperate regions worldwide.
Growing Season
Buds break and soft green needles emerge in mid-to-late spring. Foliage turns orange-brown or bronze in late autumn before shedding entirely for winter dormancy.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun (at least 6 hours direct sunlight). Prefers moist, well-draining, rich soils; highly tolerant of wet or occasionally flooded soils, but has moderate drought tolerance once fully established.
Mature Size
Reaches 70 to 100+ feet in height with a spread of 25 to 30 feet at maturity. Growth rate is very fast, often exceeding 2 to 3 feet per year in optimal conditions. Lifespan can exceed 100+ years.
Special Characteristics
Living fossil discovered in the 1940s after previously being known only from fossil records. Features striking russet autumn color, beautiful winter silhouette, unique buttressed trunk, and high tolerance for wet soils and urban conditions.
Wildlife & Ecology
Provides structural cover and nesting sites for birds and small mammals. Seeds inside small round female cones provide a food source for birds and squirrels during autumn and winter.