Dawn Redwood

Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) is a deciduous conifer, and a living fossil known from the rock record long before a surviving stand was found in China. It grows quickly to about 15m tall and 5m wide, holding a slim upright cone of soft feathery foliage that turns rusty bronze in autumn before dropping. Give it room and reliable water and few trees make a stronger impression.

Why you'll love it

• Autumn colour from a conifer. The soft needles turn coppery bronze through autumn, then drop to reveal a fluted trunk and fine winter branching.
• Fast growing and upright. At roughly 15m by 5m it gains height quickly while keeping a narrow footprint.
• It thrives in wet ground. Wet feet tolerant, so it works beside a dam or in the low corner where other trees drown.
• Winter light, summer shade. Being deciduous, it shades a lawn through summer and lets the low winter sun back in.

Where it works best

Feature planting. A single tree on open lawn shows the symmetry and the trunk to best effect.

Avenues and windbreaks. Plant about 5m apart for an avenue or a shelter row. The narrow crown holds a formal line along a driveway.

Damp and low lying ground. Ground that stays soggy after rain suits it, and few large trees will not sulk there.

Growing Dawn Redwood in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun and open space. This is a tree for cool temperate and warm temperate gardens, and the autumn colour is strongest where the nights genuinely cool off. Subtropical and arid districts are too hot and dry for it.

Soil. Deep, moist, slightly acidic soil is ideal. It is not drought tolerant, so a site that dries out hard in February is the wrong site. Mulch 100mm deep and keep it clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soaks twice a week across the first two summers, then weekly through dry spells for the life of the tree. A slow release fertiliser each spring while it is young is enough.

Pruning. It builds its own shape around a single leader and needs almost no pruning. Remove damaged wood only, and never shorten the leader, since that spoils the cone shape.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in one size, a 45L pot. That is an established young tree with a formed leader, tall enough to read as a tree on planting day.

Deciduous trees ship in leaf or bare depending on the season, and a bare tree in winter is dormant rather than dead. Stake it for the first year and allow 5m of clearance from buildings and paving. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every tree carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare the trade offs in evergreen versus deciduous trees.
• Browse the wider deciduous tree range.
• See what else colours up in autumn colour plants.
• Look at larger stock in advanced trees.

Common questions

Is it really a conifer if it drops its leaves?

Yes. Dawn redwood is one of a small group of deciduous conifers, along with the swamp cypress and the larches. It carries true cones and needle foliage, then sheds the lot each autumn.

How much water does it need?

More than most trees we sell. Plan on deep watering through every dry summer, not just while it establishes. A naturally damp position is the easiest way to keep it happy.

Will it colour up in a warmer garden?

It colours reliably in cool temperate gardens and reasonably well in warm temperate ones, though the bronze is softer where autumn nights stay mild. In subtropical heat the display disappoints.

How much space does it need?

Allow a mature spread of 5m and keep it that far clear of buildings, paving and services. It is narrow for its height, but it is still a 15m tree.