Both trees are planted less than they should. I hardly think that Nativeites ( I refuse to call the Nazis. Untill they come to my house, hold a gun to my head and ship all my nonnative plants and cultivars off to be burned while I watch, I wont call the Nazis) are influencing against this particular species, because baldcypress is even less known than dawn redwood up north.

Taxodium is hardly a native where you live. Landscaper's use of a particular plant has less to do with political sentiment and more to do with availability, profitability, familiarity, etc.

equating the tendencies of ignorant immigrants with the holocaust is offensive to me and slightly f**ing retarded.

useyourloaf, I donÂt know what you are referring to, as no one mentioned immigrants, but if you are referring to me, I was using the exaggerated, non-existent parallel to say that the calling of anyone who is talking about plant people as Nazis (native plant Nazis) is completely stupid and offensive  the people who advocate the planting of native plants in exclusion of anything exotic may be devoted to the belief but they are hardly plant Nazis. Because what native plant people do is NOHING like what the Nazis did, as I had been trying to indicate with the parallel. What the Nazis did was FAR WORSE than influencing towns to maybe, perhaps, plant a native species over an exotic... so i tried to think of a paralell to illustrate the difference. I think the calling of any plants people Nazis is stupid and offensive.

Fledg, I didn't start it but you're right, it is WAY off-base. Mea culpa.

+oM

Okay, let's not get hooked on semantics here. Forgive my use of the word "nazis". I'll use the word "fascists" instead.

Anyway, this species is intoxicatingly beautiful to me. Especially amazing is the difference in shape that can be attained by leaving the bottom-most branches on and not lopping them off at an early age. They spread out and sprawl out like that of an oak.

I read somewhere the that genetic variability among these trees was relatively low due to the intitial seed collected in '47 all being from the same three or four trees. Anybody know if this has been "corrected" and genetic variability increased? I read somewhere that a ton of seed was collected in the nineties.

Also, I have read on the website dawnredwood.com that somewhere in north carolina somebody is trying to re-create a SELF-SUSTAINING dawn redwood forest. The location is kept un-disclosed.

Also interesting to note is that there are at least three other species in the genus METASEQUOIA that have been identified in the fossil record and are most defnitely EXTINCT - metasequoia occidentalis, etc.

This tree never fails to amaze me. Having just discovered it this year, I have not been around it long enough to see it's needles bloom in the spring. I'm in for a treat come March or april.

I'd start by calling these folks and asking for a phone # for the Parks and Recreation Department or The city's Horticulture (Department) where it would be likely they'd be the one's growing the plant material being used.

"CBG's Plant Information Service is a free public service offering phone advice on trees and other plants. Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (847.835.0972). CBG runs Green Chicago, a program developed by the Garden's Urban Horticulture Department to provide technical and material support for community planting projects. (see Resources: Community Greening Programs and Grants.)"

Dax

Here is a link that might be useful: link for quote

I think there are several reasons why they haven't caught on. One, they are relatively unknown to the general public. Two, they are perceived as too big for the average yard so are not spec'd out in landscape plans. Three, they look dead in the winter.

I agree, if they only knew. I'm doing my best to spread the word.
{{gwi:476940}}
Here's a small 'Gold Rush' with a large 'normal' one behind it in my garden.

Well I think metasequoia occidentalis could be out there
some where.............

My apologies. I got a little too worked up about it... and used some Stronger-than necessary wording. Its one of those particular things that just gets me.

I am complete agreement with you on this tree. ItÂs a most fascinating, beautiful species.

I think it only looks as dead in the winter as deciduous trees doÂ

Has the new collected genetic diversity for the species made its way into commercial stock? This tree will be held back if its current stock suffers from inbreeding depression.

Hey thanks for the link to the city of chicago page. I was at garfield park conservatory three days ago and noticed that they had just planted an eleven foot tall, somewhat spindly looking dawn redwood in their outdoor garden. It looks spindly now but my guess is that it will thrive come spring.

And the link to the crescent ridge dawn redwood preserve is : www.dawnredwood.org.

The

I am nearly sure that the major seed houses are bringing in seed from China. I have gotten some in the past and it was certainly labeled, treated and claimed as imported seed from China. How long this has been going on I don't know. But I'd bet that the inbreeding problem becomes less of one every year.

Nate

Nate,
Where did you purchase the seed labeled as imported? Was it from within Canada or the USA?

What would you guys recommend for spacing for Dawn Redwoods? I have an area (.5-1 acre)that I am planning to plant a bunch of Redwoods. Thanks.

ltruett, at the US National Arboretum they have a section of land (a plot) where it's basically a forest-type-setting and they are probably about 15-20 feet apart but remind you that the foliage is in the upper canopy so a person is essentially walking through an area without foliage some 20 feet below. If you don't want a "forest setting" then space them 30-40 feet apart or more. These become massive trees so the further apart with time, the more foliage you'll be able to see. You're parcel lot, maybe plant less trees and space them farther apart (like 30 or 40 feet)? It's all what type of view you desire.

Dax

Only 28 more years before the Dawn Redwood preserve opens! By that time the optimal range for them will probably be in Quebec, but hey, it's an interesting idea.

Thanks Dax. I'm on a farm just north of Madison, WI and I thought I would be neat to have a little area of Dawn Redwoods. I will probably try and go for more of a forest feel and plant them closer together but leave a few with a bit more space to spread.

>>By that time the optimal range for them will probably be in QuebecWhy would that be?

My observation was somewhat facetious - but if the global climate is getting warmer, then generally in the northern hemisphere, climate zones are moving northwards. The Dawn Redwood preserve is in North Carolina and Quebec is north of North Carolina.

Don't hold your breath for Al, The Huckster, Gore and company.

At the present rates of climate change, we'll be reaching the same values as the Paleocene thermal maximum within a few hundred years . . . back then, the Metasequoia forests were growing on Axel Heiberg Island (80°N in the Canadian arctic).

Resin

Yeah, that darn huckster Al Gore! Him and virtually every climate scientist that's not being paid off behind scenes by extremely well-funded big corporate interests. What a bunch of phonies these guys are!

Seriously wadet, maintaining the status quo keeps people that are already raking in mass quantities of dough in that position. Changing the status quo by recognizing the reality around us will eventually make tons of dough, but maybe for different people. These different people don't have the money now, so who's financing who? Who's distorting the truth? It's not that hard to figure out.

+oM

Hey, has anyone ever seen a "dwarf" Dawn Redwood? Is there even such a thing??

There is a witches' broom from a Dawn Redwood called 'Matthaei' or 'Matthaei Broom'. I'm not sure of its growth rate as I just stumbled across it on the web not too long ago. I am trying to find a source.
Mike

The Gore's once ran Occidental Coal, so family fortune was begotten mining fossil fuels. And nowdays, Mr Gore is the iconic environmentalist. Why? He owns a carbon credit company which now stands to profit from global warming hysteria. So, the Gore fortune on the way into fossil fuels, and now, on the way out.

As far as gobal warming trend is concerned, this pretty much speaks for it's self:

//**end thread hijack

Wow, thanks Mike for that info. Please post if you do find a source or anymore info on it. That sounds like it would be a nice addition to my collection! :)

"Trend" is a pretty vague term. There's a big difference between looking at the past 50 million years and looking at the past 50 thousand years and trying to define what the climate trend is. Yes, the Earth was once much warmer than it is today, or is even likely to be in the coming centuries, and life wasn't snuffed out - but I wonder what the sea levels were like during the Eocene thermal maximum? 12,000 years ago this area was covered in Spruce forest, now the natural vegetation is Oak-Hickory savanna. Still, 12,000 years is a long time compared to the rate of climate change that we are seeing now. What is happening now should really give us pause, whether you trust Al Gore or not.

Let me just hijack this once too.

Al Gore is a shiester. He doesn't live the green lifestyle he pushes on all of us. He advocates buying carbon credits which directly enrich him and he has been found in a court of law in October of this year to have either falsified or at best exaggerated the claims in his movie to drum up freight. What it really comes down to though is this: If it is true, why doesn't he live it? Plain and simple.

Here is a link that might be useful: Washington Post story telling of 9 problems with AIT movie by Al Gore

Christ, can we bring this forum back to the subject, which is dawn redwoods?

I know how much all of us would like to go on with a lifestyle of living in enormous tract-houses and McMansions, eating cheeseburgers, driving around in a world full of cul-de-sacs and wal-marts and living in neighborhoods with no sidewalks or bike lanes, but it just doesn't seem to be the likely scenario in twenty years - global warming or not.

As for metasequoia, it's been around about 1 million times longer than any of us could hope to be, and it's a fascinating organism that's endured conditions on this planet that have at times been far worse than our sorry species is attempting to emulate right now.

So with that, anybody have any advice on growing them from seed? soil type, temperature average, light conditions, time of year?

Hey I came accross this posting and just thought I would offer my two cents. I planted a Dawn Redwood at my parents' house and am currrently looking at planting one at my house - (came here to get ideas).

There are several strands of Dawn Redwood in Chicagoland that I know of: Lewis University in Romeoville (alma mater) and University of Illinois at Urbana have strands of these trees on their grounds, as well as Morton Arboreteum and the Chicago Botanic Garden. I know there are some down town Chicago, maybe by the art institue (or they are Bald Cypress). There are also a few by the Shedd Aquarium I think. I do know our house has the only one in the SW suburbs I know of...

Hi, its Brian, I live in Crystal Lake, IL. about 38 miles NW of Chicago. I love spending time in my yard, landscaping & introducing new trees to my lot. Outside of selling, I spent a couple of years working at a nursery part time (weekends), I just wanted to learn more about plants and trees. I fell in love with the looks of the Dawn Redwood, so, I added it to my yard. It is in the corner of my lot, which holds a lot of moisture, the ground can occasionally get soupy. I planted it in October of 2016, it was 9' when I put it in the ground and not even a year later it is 10'6". I have found that Redwoods love wet feet. No doubt, this tree has been around for ever, almost extinct in the states at one time, but was found thriving in Asia. This is a must for anyone that has a some space in there yard, the Fall colors are Outstanding.

It DID go extinct in North America and everyplace else until a relic community of trees was discovered. Just to add, it needs A LOT of space; if space is more limited better to go with its cousin Bald Cyprus (Taxodium) as it's a bit more contained. Fall color is great on the DR though; better than on BC.

I am going to argue and say Metasequoia has a similar footprint to most medium sized trees. Think the Acer rubrum cultivars or Nyssa sylvarica. They grow tall not wide.

At least in the first 70 years.