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Dawn Redwood Flower Wikimedia Commons
Cupressaceae

Dawn Redwood Flower

Metasequoia glyptostroboides

Living fossil reborn.

Family
Cupressaceae
Genus
Metasequoia
Native to
Central China
Bloom season
Spring
Type
deciduous conifer
Height
70-100 ft
Sunlight
full sun
Soil
moist, well-drained, acidic
Water
moderate to high
Hardiness
4-8
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • Dawn redwood was known only from fossils and presumed extinct for 5 million years until living trees were found in China in 1944.
  • It is one of only a few conifers that is deciduous, dropping its needles in autumn after turning a coppery bronze.
  • Seeds from the original discovery were distributed to botanical gardens worldwide, saving the species from extinction.
  • The male flowers dangle in long chains called catkins, while the tiny female cones are round and clustered.
  • A single dawn redwood can grow over 2 feet per year in ideal conditions, reaching full height in under 50 years.

Color meanings

0

resilience

1

rediscovery

Uses

  • specimen tree
  • parks and campuses
  • conservation planting