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Dawn redwood

English
  • Trees and Shrubs
Dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides)
Photo: Jardin botanique de Montréal (Lise Servant)
Metasequoia glyptostroboides.

Onglets

Botany

Origin and description

The single living species of the genus Metasequoia was introduced very recently (1944), and this explains why it is not a very popular ornamental. This deciduous conifer is also at its climatic limit in Montréal. Conical in shape, it grows to 50 metres in its native country but only to 10 metres in Montréal. The sparse linear foliage is flexible, flattened, bifarious and deciduous. The pale green foliage that turns reddish-brown or golden in fall makes for a very decorative tree.

Common name

Dawn redwood / Metasequoia

Latin name (genus)

Metasequoia glyptrostroboides

English common name

French common name

Botanical family

  • Taxodiaceae
Horticulture

Growing conditions

Not very demanding in terms of soil conditions but requires fairly consistent moisture to ensure good growth. Needs a protected site. Slow growing.

Easy to grow?

The specimens at the Jardin botanique de Montréal are in an exposed site and suffer from frost checks; however, these frost checks quickly disappear once the foliage appears. Plant as a single specimen in a protected site.

Hardiness

  • Zone 5

See also

Pests and diseases
Physiological disorders