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Dawn Redwood | Small Tree Seedling | The Jonsteen Company
Dawn Redwood | Small Tree Seedling | The Jonsteen Company
Dawn Redwood | Small Tree Seedling | The Jonsteen Company
Dawn Redwood | Small Tree Seedling | The Jonsteen Company
Dawn Redwood | Small Tree Seedling | The Jonsteen Company
Dawn Redwood | Small Tree Seedling | The Jonsteen Company
Dawn Redwood | Small Tree Seedling | The Jonsteen Company
Dawn Redwood | Small Tree Seedling | The Jonsteen Company
Dawn Redwood | Small Tree Seedling | The Jonsteen Company
Dawn Redwood | Small Tree Seedling | The Jonsteen Company
Dawn Redwood | Small Tree Seedling | The Jonsteen Company
Dawn Redwood | Small Tree Seedling | The Jonsteen Company
Dawn Redwood | Small Tree Seedling | The Jonsteen Company
Dawn Redwood | Small Tree Seedling | The Jonsteen Company
Dawn Redwood | Small Tree Seedling | The Jonsteen Company
Dawn Redwood | Small Tree Seedling | The Jonsteen Company
Dawn Redwood | Small Tree Seedling | The Jonsteen Company
Dawn Redwood | Small Tree Seedling | The Jonsteen Company

Dawn Redwood | Small Tree Seedling

Regular price
$8.99
Sale price
$8.99
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per 
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Metasequoia glyptostroboides

  • Grow your own Dawn Redwood, a living fossil from China
  • 100% guaranteed
  • Seed-grown on California's Redwood Coast
  • Transplanting and care instructions included


Water Needs | The Jonsteen Company
Moisture
Medium
Cold Hardiness | The Jonsteen Company Cold Hardiness
-25°F
Light Needs | The Jonsteen Company Light
Full Sun / Partial Shade
Size | The Jonsteen Company Size
50 – 160' tall / 20 – 25' spread
Age | The Jonsteen Company Lifespan
600 yrs
Growth Rate | The Jonsteen Company Growth Rate
Fast Growing
Drought Tolerance | The Jonsteen Company Drought Tolerance
Medium
Windfirm | The Jonsteen Company Wind Resistance
High

About Dawn Redwood: A Gorgeous Living Fossil from China!

Until 1944, the Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) was known only in the form of fossils collected by paleobotanists. The fossil record made it clear to scientists that the Dawn Redwood had once been widely dispersed throughout the Northern Hemisphere during the Tertiary Period, with fossil remains collected in far-flung locations from North America to Asia to Greenland. The tree was thought to have been extinct for perhaps 20 million years!

That all changed in 1944, after a living specimen was discovered alive and well by a surprised Chinese forester near the remote village of Motao-chi in the Chinese province of Szechwan. As word spread of this discovery, botanists world-wide became intrigued. In time, The Arnold Arboretum of Boston and California's Save the Redwoods League sent expeditions to the area. The seeds and cuttings collected during these outings were shared with botanical gardens, universities, arboreta, and private nurseries around the world, and, today, this amazing "living fossil" is available from nurseries like Jonsteen.

In the years since its "discovery," Metasequoia glyptostroboides has proven itself as a remarkable and versatile ornamental, suitable for a wide range of climates and diverse planting situations. As an icon of conservation, only the Giant Pandas are more important to the Chinese people than Dawn Redwoods.

Mature Dawn Redwoods, like those occurring in China, are broadly conical, and grow to typical heights of 50 to 100 feet tall from thick buttressed trunks. The foliage is wonderfully soft, presenting different tones throughout the year, and the needles very closely resemble those of the Dawn's close relative, California's Coast Redwood. The largest Dawn Redwood tops 160 feet tall with a trunk approximately seven feet across – in stature and form very like California's redwoods, but smaller. The most striking difference between the famous California trees and Dawn Redwoods is that Dawn Redwoods are deciduous, shedding their needles each fall and sending out bright new growth each spring.

Dawn Redwoods are prodigious growers. Young plants can grow 3 feet or more in a year. In the landscape, Dawn Redwoods attract attention not only for their history, but for their lush and lovely, color-changing foliage and impressive redwood-tree form. Soft, bright green needles, about 3/4-inch long, appear in early spring, then turn pinkish brown before falling in the autumn. Brown cones 3/4-inch long ripen each year.

Dawn Redwoods are very cold hardy, easily handling temperatures into the -20°'s F. They can grow successfully in diverse settings and situations, but thrive best in full sun and moist soils. They are a good candidate for bonsai, and, although their growth is typically symmetrical, they are quite amenable to pruning and shaping.

Sorry, you cannot have a Giant Panda in your yard or garden, but you can certainly plant an incredible Dawn Redwood, China's other great icon!


About Jonsteen's Seedlings

All of our trees are seed-grown at our nursery on California's Redwood Coast, which is inspected monthly and licensed by the California Department of Agriculture. Trees can provide a natural barrier against high winds, temperatures, noise pollution and soil erosion, all while benefiting local air quality, wildlife and property values — a Jonsteen seedling will only grow in value and beauty!


About Jonsteen's 100% Guarantee

All of our trees are guaranteed to arrive healthy and in good condition. If your tree perishes despite your honest efforts, we will be happy to replace it with a small-sized seedling for just the cost of shipping/handling. You can learn more about our guarantee and tree replacement policy here.


Seedling Size Chart: Small

Due to the dynamic nature of actively growing trees, as well as the tremendous variation between species’ growth rates, we rely on the cubic volume of a seedling’s root mass to determine its “size” (Small / Medium / Large / XL). Within each size there is minor variance — the dimensions provided here represent the category minimum. If exact measurements are essential, please contact us about current stock.

Seedling Size Chart | Small | The Jonsteen Company

Customer Reviews

Based on 16 reviews
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J
J.G.

Cant wait to give to my husband for Christmas.

J
Julie
It's a miracle!

This is my second Dawn Redwood. I planted it in a pot and it was doing great until it started to die. It turned completely brown. Then this morning I was looking at it and saw all new green growth. I can't believe it. What happened.
Julie

J
Justin Weaver

I bought a small dawn redwood seedling at the end of the growing season last year, so I kept it indoors for the season and kept it in the sun. Midway through February, one of my cats chewed off all of the leaves. My wife ordered a new one, in case mine died, and I nursed the original one back to health. Now, I have two healthy dawn redwoods. Where the cat chewed, it's now a dead stick. The tree adapted and is growing a new trunk.

Another healthy couple trees — cat damage and all! Well done

J
James McDonald

Super easy and the trees are great!!!!

C
C.M.

Beautiful specimens!