Metasequoia glyptostroboides 'Gold Rush'
DAWN REDWOOD
Family: Cupressaceae
Pronounced: met-a-see-KWOY-ah glip-toe-stroe-BOY-deez
Quick Jumps
Growing Guide
Rainy Side Notes
GROWING GUIDE
Origin:
Garden.
Plant Group:
Conifers.
Hardiness:
Sunset zones: A3; 3-10.
USDA zones: 5-10.
Mature size:
Height 50+ feet (20+ m) in 20 years, eventually reaching 100 feet.
Width: 15-22 (5-7 m).
Cone attributes:
Pendulous cones 3/4 to 1 1/2-inches long and about 3/4-inch wide.
Needle attributes:
Needles are 1/2-inch long slightly curved, arranged opposite along the stem.
Growth habit:
Pyramidal.
Light:
Full sun.
Soil:
Moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil.
Propagation Methods:
Softwood cuttings in summer.
Pests and Diseases:
None in the Pacific Northwest; I have not found any references to the tree having problems here.
Rainy Side Notes
One day, in a garden nursery, I became smitten by a dawn redwood's fall coloring. I went home to try to find room for just one more tree in my garden. I could plant it, yet eventually, it would outgrow the available space. Thankfully, my young friend, a beginning gardener who lives next door, bought and planted one. So now I can enjoy the view of his tree from my backyard.
Is he trying to show me up by planting a living relic on his property?
Metasequoias are trees with an ancient past. Somebody found the once-considered extinct Dawn redwood growing in China not long after discovering a million-year-old fossil in Japan.
Metasequoia once grew on our North American continent over 15 million years ago, and after many eons, it is again growing here. Michael Dirr once wrote, "This tree provides a case history of perhaps how endangered species should be managed. . . propagate and share."
This is a fast-growing tree, reaching 15-20 feet in ten years; after 20 or more years, it will grow to 50 feet. After that, it may go as high as 100 feet. It has not been in cultivation long enough to reach its full potential. Time will tell.
In the Pacific Northwest, the gold foliage will not burn in full sun, unlike other gold foliage with this tendency.
Metasequoia glyptostroboides 'Gold Rush' keeps its coloring well into summer. It then turns orange-brown in fall, when it sheds its needles. In spring, the needles return an almost chartreuse yellow color. The bark on this deciduous tree is attractive, with deep fissures, giving it winter interest.
The conifer thrives in many kinds of soil. It is, however, essential to give the tree some irrigation during our long summer drought. It will be a stunning addition to your landscape if you have room to grow it.
The variety 'Gold Rush' was found as a seedling in Japan and named 'Golden Ogi,' which means the golden mantle. Dutch horticulturalist Peter Zweinburg brought it to Europe and changed the name to 'Gold Rush.'
Metasequoia comes from the Greek word meta, meaning changed and refers to sequoia, which it is related to.
Now, if you will excuse me, I must go next door to negotiate some visiting rights for a tree.
Photographed at Savage Plants in Kingston, Washington. Photos with Clematis 'Josephine' climbing on the tree is from the garden of William Fletcher and Spring Courtright.
Gardening for the Homebrewer: Grow and Process Plants for Making Beer, Wine, Gruit, Cider, Perry, and More
By co-authors Debbie Teashon (Rainy Side Gardeners) and Wendy Tweton.