Dawn redwood

The Dawn Redwood usually grows to heights between 70 and 100 feet with crown spread around 25’. The tree has an open, pyramidal shaped crown that rarely requires pruning. To achieve best growth, plant the tree in moist, deep, well-drained, slightly acidic soils with full sunlight. Growing into the late summer and early fall, the tree is often damaged by an early freeze. In China, the tree’s native

The LEAVES are opposite, liner, flattened deciduous leaves that grow to lengths between 1/2” and 2”. In the fall, the bright green leaves turn a red-orange color. The underside of the leaf is obscurely lined with stomata and the green color is lighter than that on the upper side.

FLOWERS from this tree are monoecious and inconspicuous. The male flowers come in panicles that can be 12” long while the female flowers grow solitary.

The TRUNK usually grows having a single leader. The BARK is red to brown in color, continually getting darker as it ages. Below each BRANCH that connects to the central leader there is a small depression. This characteristic will help to distinguish it from a bald cypress.

This tree is mostly ornamental and can be used to stabilize riverbanks or as a border hedge. There are no hazards towards animals commonly associated with this plant.