![]() ![]() Though sometimes described as a ‘riparian species’ (water loving), Dawn Redwoods can tolerate drier conditions. Dawn Redwoods grow fast and are good as specimens trees in gardens and parks, but too big for the ‘average’ garden. A large bag of seeds was collected and soon seedling trees were raised and distributed to universities and arboreta across the world. However, the Dawn Redwood trees to be found across the world have been planted as a result of a seed collecting expedition (in 1948) by the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University. The populations are small (in terms of the number of trees), with the exception of the Xiaohe Valley - where significant numbers are found. Relatively few natural populations of Dawn Redwoods exist in the wild, and those that do are found in Szechwan Province of south western China. Indeed, all species were thought to have gone but then in 1941, a living member of the genus was found in China - the water fir (as it was known locally). The Metasequoias were casualties of this changing environment the Metasequoia forests, which extended as far as 80 oN, disappeared. During the MMCO, the temperatures were above today’s average global temperature, which lead to drier conditions across the world with a consequent decrease in woodlands and an increase in a more open landscape. The Miocene saw the evolution of the first dogs and bears, the uplifting of the Alps and significant climatic changes such as the MMCO - the mid miocene climate optimum. The Miocene began 23 million years ago and ended about five million years back. All species belonging the genus Metasequoiawere thought to have died out sometime during the Miocene Period. They were so excited about the prospects of growing a Redwood that we all walked out to the place where the tree would stand its own large lawn away from the dying pines.Just as the woodland blog has described the maidenhair tree as a ‘living fossil’, so the same phrase can be applied to the Dawn Redwood ( Metasequoia glyptostroboides). It was so much fun working with them to create a new garden that after I finished the design I thought about one last special tree, a Dawn Redwood. Michael and Sherri are garden enthusiasts and were thrilled to replace the old builder grade tree lines with interesting new trees, shrubs and perennials. You would think these poor people are beside themselves with grief, but NO! DuPont, the makers of Imprelis, have granted affected homeowners generous settlements to replace the damaged trees. I redesigned a 2.15 acre property where Imprelis herbicide killed or damaged more than 20 mature White Pine trees that buffered the residents from traffic, neighbors and noise. Last week, I had the perfect opportunity to use a Dawn Redwood. Since then they have become specimen trees used in east coast gardens where space allows. They were thought to be extinct until 1941 when they were rediscovered in China. Fossils date the Dawn Redwoods to more than 50,000,000 years ago. Their mature size is 70 – 100 feet tall by 25 feet wide. Though dominium in size compared to the Giant Sequoias, Dawn Redwoods are fast growers known to reach 40 to 50 feet in 20 years with a 10 to 12 foot spread under ideal growing conditions. California Redwoods are true evergreens and do not lose their needles. The needles drop from the tree then leaf out new in spring. ![]() In other words, they have needle-like leaves that turn a bronzy orange in the fall. The Dawn Redwood or Metasequoia glyptostroboides, may look like a California Redwood but it is the only living species in its genus. In fact its name, Metasequoia means just that. But don’t be disheartened, for here in the east we can grow a Sequoia-like tree. Who could forget the beautiful feathery foliage and tall furrowed trunks as we lay sleeping under the California Sequoias? These trees thrive on high atmospheric moisture and will never perform as well in eastern states as in they do in the northwest and the British Isles. The Sequoias seemed to grow right into the ocean. We were driving through a thick tunnel of Sequoia sempervirens, when the sky opened up, and below us crashed the Pacific. I remember the first time I saw the Pacific Ocean. Pinus ponderosa shadowed the Black Hills of South Dakota. At Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario she showed me Abies balsamea with its short dark needles. As soon as I graduated, we loaded up Nancy's VW Bug with camping gear, two guitars, a Golden Gate Passport and headed west.Īfter a year working in the nursery Nancy spoke a different language, Latin, the language of plants. In order to earn money for our adventure Nancy worked days for County Line Nursery, while I worked nights at a local factory. Nancy Jansch, and I had been planning the trip ever since her graduation the year before. My interest in horticulture began on a cross-country road trip with a high school friend in 1973. ![]()
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