I don't know what to say. I have never seen a DR that looks like that. Why is there horizontal growth and virtually no proportional vertical growth?! Weird!

So it's not just me then. Yeah, it's been an odd one for a number of years. I still haven't given up on her just yet. There is a much older one up the street from me that is a very nice tree, so I guess I'd always hope she'd grow up to be like that. It doesn't seem to be happening. Here's a pic of that one from streetviews...

http://i.imgur.com/dJBOWZQ.jpg

Disclaimer: I have zero experience with this tree, but am fascinated by them. The big ones are so majestic! Anyway...

Can you trim up the bottom limbs (not take them off, but trim each limb up)? Like these? Sorry if I'm butting in with a dumb idea! Just curious. I like this look for the OP's situation, if it's possible.

Ya know, it's WEIRD looking for a DR, but I kinda like it! Exotic and almost tropical looking. I'd actually leave it be.

MizGG, if you leave the lower limbs on you almost always get the gnarly cool trunks like in your pictures.

If you cut off the lower limbs you typically get a smoother still kinda cool more bald cypress type trunk.

I'd cut it down and start over with a new seedling.

In as few as 6-years you'll have a tree as tall as that one again.

I just don't care for it.

Dax

FWIW, another option altogether is to allow low branches to remain and use wood chip or bark mulch-out to and just beyond tree's drip line(extent of crown width). By doing so, one need not remove lower limbs, one need not try to get grass to grow where it doesn't want to, and one needn't mow under there. I've done it both ways, depending on tree, site, and other factors. It works.

Yeah, i'm less worried about the mowing aspect and more wondering if this tree is ever going to actually look normal.

no its not to ever look normal ..... get rid of it ...

and even a normal one.. should probably not be planted that close to the house ... these things have HUGE potential ... see link

ken

https://www.google.com/search?q=Metasequoia+glyptostroboides&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjYxaXS4frNAhWK7yYKHcnTB2MQ_AUICCgB&biw=968&bih=745&dpr=0.9

I can see why you don't like the shape of your tree. It is taking up a lot of room. I'm not sure if it will ever make a real leader, it may be something genetic. Having said that, I would LOVE to have that tree, it's an extreme expression of what DR's can become, and I've got plenty of room. I'd try propagating it and see if the cuttings come true or make normal trees.

It's different-ness makes it interesting. Too bad it's in that location. It would be cool to see what it does later on. Like Kentrees said, I would love to have it, but I can certainly see why one would consider removing it, considering its current location.

That would be a cool tree to see in an arboretum in an open space. Not
so good next to a house. Another vote here for remove and replace
because that tree will never be the typical dawn redwood shape you want
and it is already making mowing a pita

Edit: I have 1 species DR and it also has a funky candelabra shape to it. Just the opposite of yours, all of the branches on mine shoot straight up and try to be leaders. I pruned a bunch of the vertical portions off (heading off cuts) this spring. Before I pruned my tree, it would have had a 16' spread if the limbs went horizontal but it actually only had a 3-4' spread.I'm sure the tree's genes will ultimately win and it will end up looking the same in a couple years.

It would be interesting to see its structure in wintertime, with no needles obscuring the view

If you didn't want to remove the whole tree but raise the canopy, try trimming back some of the side shoots on the main branches and cutting the ends back some. Removing even a little weight can raise the canopy significantly (I do this for a lawn baldcypress). It isn't a permanent solution, though.

Ken, aren't you always saying it's the strange and weird trees that get the most attention in your garden? I thought this one would be right up your alley!

Brian, where are you located again? I wanna rule out cold being a reason.

Oddly if I recall correctly, near Cincy in Southwest Ohio there were plenty of straight, "normal" Metasequoia. Near Cleveland in Northeast Ohio there wsre also. At Dawes arboretum in the middle of the state theirs except for the new grove looked winblown, shorter and just interesting.

I'm in 6a.

After seeing all the comments, I've decided to cut it down. It would also allow me to widen my landscaping on that side of the house, and add a new ornamental tree set back a little from the location of this one at the corner of the house.

Brian, being that you like DR but have decided to remove it due to space concerns, perhaps you should consider a Bald Cypress as its replacement. I half both and can tell you BC is a LOT more space economical..., it lacks all those crazy lateral branches (that some growers remove), and overall, is less sprawling.

I think you should plant another DR...but an "Ogon". Amazing tree. The best tree in my yard IMO. The Japanese Beetles agree with me this year though.

I have seven Taxodium distichum 'Mickelson' aka "Shawanee Brave."
Heck of a nice tree if you want to stay with green. It's still going to
be a monster at some place in time as would 'Ogon', but, two great
trees. You can always choose an upright Metasequoia, also . . .
'Waasland' is a good one.

I'd like to see John's upright Metasequoia, John?

Thanks--

Dax

The location wasn't the best for a tree like this. Had I known that when I moved in (i was ignorant about trees and plants) I would have relocated it when it was only a couple feet tall. Something smaller would be more fitting in this location with some widened landscaping.

Taxodium and Metasequoia species trees grow similarly here. Taxodium (bald cypress) is more drought tolerant, and does not grow as fast or tall on average. It probably has lower average max expected spread over a human life time. Our botanical garden has a good number of both.

Metasequoia Ogon is an eye catcher. If you haven't seen one in person check one out before the fall planting season. Mine takes plenty of sun, is more narrow than the species and probably grows 99% as fast.

The other cultivars I am not familar with.

It looks okay to me. All you have to do is get rid of the lower limbs. I guess there may be structural problems under those lower limbs, but, it's hard to tell how the tree's structure is without "Limbing up" the tree. I have a DR that I would need to Limb up to about 7-8 ft to get rid of many crossing branches. I would just try and get rid of the ground hugging branches, on the pictured tree here. But, maybe others posting here can see something inferior about the trees structure that I can't see. If so than "sorry". But, then again tree trunks that retain their horizontal branches, ( I have read) can grow stronger and thicker, than those that are stripped of the side branches.

I've decided to just cut it down. I'm planning on overhauling a lot of my landscaping and this will give me the opportunity to widen the beds around the house and put some type of ornamental (smaller) tree near this corner of the house.

Hi Brian, it is possible that your tree was topped at some point. Perhaps just before the house was sold to you. The base of the trunk looks much wider than the growth on top which may be multiple leaders trying to grow back from where the trunk was lopped off. Perhaps you could look along the truck to find if there is a point from which the trunk divides up into multiple competing shoots. If this is the case, you could potentially keep the strongest most upright one and in time it will take over the job of growing skywards. The spreading branches at the base of your tree are just the side branches from before the tree was topped. Good luck, s