Trees & woodland lore · Western North Carolina field companion
Dawn redwood
Metasequoia glyptostroboides
Whole tree — Metasequoia glyptostroboides. Species reference; the photographed specimen does not confirm the named variety. Age, pruning, and site affect its shape.☀ Full sunF. D. Richards ↗ · CC-BY-SA 2.0Photo contextResized and converted to WebP; full original composition retained.
Problems to recognize in WNC gardens. These are documented susceptibilities, not a local outbreak report or a diagnosis. Weather, elevation and growing conditions change the risk.
Diseases & similar-looking injury
Generally has few disease problems.
Insects to recognize
Japanese beetles can feed on foliage.
When to look
Inspect foliage during summer beetle activity. Bronze foliage followed by leaf drop in autumn is normal for this deciduous conifer.
A useful first step
Separate seasonal leaf loss from unusual growing-season decline; check site moisture and the amount of feeding.
More growing details
Read the leaves
Trace each needle pair and the little leafy branchlets back to their attachment. Both are opposite, a key difference from bald cypress.
Read the bark
Reddish-brown bark becomes vertically fibrous and furrowed.
Fruit & seed
Small rounded woody seed cones hang on stalks.
Winter character
Opposite buds and branchlet scars remain after this deciduous conifer loses its foliage.
Origin & place
An introduced garden species or horticultural hybrid; study it as part of WNC landscapes rather than assume it belongs to the native mountain flora.
WNC Notes
Fast, dramatic specimen for large moist sites; deciduous, so not a winter screen.
Sun Exposure
Full sun
MATURE HEIGHT (FT)
62–100
MATURE WIDTH (FT)
15–25
BLOOM SEASON
Spring
BLOOM COLOR
Inconspicuous
FALL / WINTER COLOR
Russet-orange
Wet-Soil Tolerance
High
Drought Tolerance
Moderate
At Lynn’s Nursery · Dawn Redwood
Metasequoia glyptostroboides Summer/Fall 2026 catalog. Confirm current availability with the nursery. Mature height × width: 70–100 ft × 25–40 ft. Light: Full sun. Habit: Pyramidal deciduous conifer. Flowers & season: Non-showy cones. Large tree for moist ground; bronze fall color.
LOOK CLOSELY
Two views, a closer look.
Place two photographs beside one another. Compare the overall plant with leaves, flowers, or bark when those views are available. Captions identify what each photograph actually shows. Images are not at the same scale; species references may show different cultivars.
Whole tree — Metasequoia glyptostroboides. Species reference; the photographed specimen does not confirm the named variety. Age, pruning, and site affect its shape.☀ Full sunF. D. Richards ↗ · CC-BY-SA 2.0Photo contextResized and converted to WebP; full original composition retained.Species reference; does not confirm the named variety. Photograph subject: Metasequoia glyptostroboides☀ Full sunCathy Dewitt ↗ · CC BY 4.0Photo contextResized and converted to WebP; full original composition retained.Dawn redwood needle-bearing branchlets. Look closely for opposite needle pairs and opposite side branchlets; bald cypress has alternate attachments.☀ Full sunCrusier ↗ · CC BY 3.0Photo contextResized and converted to WebP; no diagnostic content altered.Buttressed trunk and fibrous bark of dawn redwood — species reference; cultivar identity not inferred.☀ Full sunCathy Dewitt ↗ · CC BY 4.0Photo contextResized and converted to WebP; full original composition retained.
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