Dawn Redwood

Dawn Redwood

15 Gallon
$189.00
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Dawn Redwood
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Dawn Redwood

Metasequoia glyptostrocoides

A fast-growing, deciduous "living fossil" with feathery foliage and spectacular autumn color.

$189.00
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Description

The Dawn Redwood is a magnificent and iconic "living fossil," a deciduous conifer that was once thought extinct until rediscovered in China in the 1940s. It combines the majestic stature of a giant coastal redwood with the seasonal drama of a deciduous tree. Its soft, feathery, bright green foliage emerges in spring, turns a rich coppery-bronze or russet-red in autumn, and then falls to reveal its striking, buttressed trunk and handsome, reddish-brown, fibrous bark. Fast-growing and adaptable, it is a living piece of natural history, perfect as a grand specimen in parks, large estates, or along waterways.

Majestic "Living Fossil": A rare and ancient deciduous conifer species, offering a direct link to prehistoric forests with its unique combination of cone-bearing habit and seasonal leaf drop.
Spectacular Seasonal Color Change: Features soft, opposite, needle-like leaves that are bright green in spring and summer, transforming into a stunning, fiery coppery-bronze to russet-red in autumn before falling.
Fast-Growing with Beautiful Bark: Grows rapidly into a tall, pyramidal tree with a straight, fluted trunk. The reddish-brown, fibrous bark becomes deeply furrowed and stringy with age, adding significant winter interest.
Thrives in Moist Conditions: Prefers deep, consistently moist, well-drained soils and can even tolerate temporary flooding. It is more adaptable to wet sites than most other large conifers.
Impressive Landscape Specimen: Reaches massive proportions over time (70-100+ ft tall), making it ideal for large-scale landscapes, parks, arboretums, or as a dramatic focal point where it has ample room to develop.

Quick Facts

  • Features:Foliage: Linear, deep green, leathery leaves densely arranged along horizontal branches.Cones: Small, oval brown cones maturing after flowering in late winter to early spring.Bark: Thick, fibrous, reddish-brown bark with fire-resistant properties.Habit: Evergreen conifer with columnar trunk and pyramidal crown; horizontal branching pattern
  • Mature Height: 50-100 ft (landscape settings)
  • Mature Width: 20-30 ft
  • Growth Rate: Fast
  • Light Needs: Full sun to partial shade
  • Key Advantages:Tolerates coastal fog and salt spray.Fire-resistant bark.Adaptable to various soil types.Provides year-round screening.Wildlife habitat value
  • Landscape Uses: Privacy screens and windbreaks.Large property landscaping.Parks and institutional plantings.Coastal and fog-belt gardens.Erosion control on slopes

Faqs

Q: Is it related to the Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)?
A: Yes, they are botanical relatives within the same family (Cupressaceae). However, they are distinct genera. The most striking difference is that the Dawn Redwood is deciduous, losing all its needles in fall, while the Coast Redwood is evergreen. The Dawn Redwood also has opposite leaves and branches, and its cones are much smaller and on stalks.

Q: How much space does it need?
A: It needs plenty of space. While young, it has a narrow, pyramidal form, but as it matures, its crown broadens significantly. Plant it at least 20-30 feet away from buildings, power lines, and other trees to accommodate its ultimate height (70-100+ ft) and spread (15-25+ ft). It is not suitable for small residential yards.

📍 Primary Delivery Area · San Francisco Bay Area

Local delivery across the Bay Area — and beyond.

San Francisco Bay Area is our primary local delivery market. Victory Nursery also serves additional California markets and selected extended delivery areas by arrangement.

Regular local delivery: San Francisco, Peninsula, South Bay, East Bay, Marin, Tracy / Mountain House and surrounding service areas.

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15 Gallon

15 Gallon

One of the most common larger landscape sizes for trees and shrubs. It offers noticeable height and fullness while still being practical for many residential planting projects.

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24 Gallon

24 Gallon

A heavy nursery size with immediate landscape presence. It can often be moved by one person with a nursery dolly or hand truck, but it is generally too heavy for normal hand carrying.

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Gallon describes the container size, not a guaranteed plant height. Individual plants vary. Contact our nursery for current measurements.

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