Dawn Redwood

Metasequoia glyptostroboides (Cupressaceae) is a deciduous conifer native to a small area in Sichuan Province, China, where it is critically endangered in the wild. It grows rapidly to 70 to 100 feet tall with a 13-foot spread, forming a narrow pyramidal crown. The opposite, feathery needles (about 15 mm) and opposite branching distinguish it from the alternate-leaved bald cypress (Taxodium). Reddish-brown bark exfoliates in strips. Foliage turns coppery bronze before dropping in autumn.

Dawn redwood thrives in full sun on moist, well-drained soil but also tolerates clay and occasionally wet conditions. Growth is fast. Cultivars include 'Gold Rush' (yellow spring foliage) and 'Miss Grace' (dwarf weeping, 10 feet). The species is a "living fossil" rediscovered in the wild in 1941 after being known only from 50-million-year-old fossils. It is the state fossil of Oregon. Despite its endangered wild status, it is widely successful in cultivation worldwide. Hardy in Zones 4a to 8b.