Dawn Redwood bonsai

Dawn Redwood Bonsai Care

Metasequoia glyptostroboides

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Zones 4 to 8, outdoor only. Native to central China, in Chongqing, Hubei and Hunan.

Cupressaceae (the cypress family) · Deciduous conifer (drops its needles every autumn)

At a glance

Type
Conifer
Leaves
Deciduous
USDA zones
4 to 8
Indoor or outdoor
Outdoor
Growth rate
Fast
Bonsai popularity
Tier 1

Close-up photo reference

Compare your tree against these to confirm the species and spot problems early.

Close view of Dawn Redwood bark
Bark & trunk, Bidgee · CC BY-SA 3.0
Dawn Redwood cones
Cone, Meneerke bloem · CC BY-SA 3.0
Soft lime green dawn redwood foliage spreading over a young tree in a nursery pot
Foliage / leaf detail, Photo: Bonsai Wonderland
A hand holding a dawn redwood shoot, showing flat needles set in opposite pairs along the stem
Foliage / leaf detail, Photo: Bonsai Wonderland
Reddish brown dawn redwood bark flaking in thin vertical strips on a young trunk
Bark & trunk, Photo: Bonsai Wonderland

Dawn Redwood quick reference

USDA zones4 to 8 in the ground [2] [3] [6]; UF/IFAS gives 5A to 8B [4], and the Gymnosperm Database and Oklahoma State give zone 5 as the limit [8] [10]; no source gives a zone for a pot
Indoor / outdoorOutdoor only: Yorkshire Bonsai calls a permanent place in a heated home unsuitable [12]; Mistral overwinters it outdoors with frost protection [13]; Bonsaiwonder keeps it outdoors, using an unheated greenhouse or foil tent below 32°F (0°C) [14]
LightFull sun [2] [3] [11]; bonsai growers screen it from the strongest summer heat [12] [13] [14], Yorkshire Bonsai in the afternoon [12]
WaterKeep the soil evenly moist through the growing season [12] [14]; how often differs by source [13] [14]; never let it stay soggy [14]
SoilA bonsai mix that drains well but holds water [12] [13] [14], such as akadama and pumice [13] [14]
RepotAbout every 2 years [11] [12] [13] [14], in early spring as the buds swell [11] [12] [14]
FrostHardy to zone 4 in the ground [2] [3]; RHS H7, below -4°F (-20°C) [9]; in a pot, protect it from hard frost [12] [13], or below 32°F (0°C) per Bonsaiwonder [14]
Mature height70 to 100 ft (21 to 30 m) in the landscape [3] [5]; up to about 148 ft (45 m), with wild trees near 164 ft (50 m) reported [10]; no source gives a bonsai size
Growth rateFast in the landscape [2] [3] [4] [8]; Mistral says it grows very fast as a bonsai [13]
Season of interestLight green new foliage in spring [3]; reddish-orange to russet-brown in fall [5]; buttressed, reddish-brown trunk [3] [5]
Leaf reductionNot rated by the sources we checked
Main risksMain risks, not ranked by any source: a rootball that dries out [7] [8] [12]; soggy soil and mold [14]; hard frost on an unprotected pot [12] [14]

Overview & Character

Dawn redwood is native to central China, in Chongqing, Hubei and Hunan [1]. It was known from fossils going back about 65 million years and was thought extinct until wild trees were found in China in the early 1940s [5]. The Gymnosperm Database says the genus was described from fossils in 1941; the living tree was seen in 1941, collected in 1944 and named as living in 1945 [10]. In the wild it grows on shady, moist sites such as ravines and stream banks [10]. The Morton Arboretum says it is closely related to bald cypress and coast redwood [3].

It is a conifer that drops its needles every fall [5], so a bare winter tree is dormant, not dead [5]. As a bonsai it is vigorous: BCI says it needs pinching all year [11]. Yorkshire Bonsai calls it suitable for learning routine care with regular watching [12], and Mistral says its care is not complicated [13].

Style: sources differ. BCI says it is best suited to formal upright, with one trunk or several, and to group plantings [11]. Mistral adds informal upright and cascade [13]. Fire Escape Bonsai writes that its style options are still largely unexplored [16].

Identification

Foliage. Soft, flat needles about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) long [8], set opposite each other on the branchlets [6] [7] [8]. The RHS describes the leaflets as held in two opposite ranks [9]. UF/IFAS and NC State also allow subopposite [2] [4], as the Gymnosperm Database does for the buds [10]. New growth is light green [3].

Fall color is described as russet [3], reddish-orange to russet-brown [5], red-bronze or brownish copper [2], or yellow and orange [4].

Bark & trunk. Reddish-brown bark that peels in long strips [3], fissured and fibrous [6]; the trunk base is buttressed and fluted [2] [5] [7].

Cones. Round to oval, hanging, up to about 1 in (2.5 cm) [2] [6], or 0.5 to 1 in (1.3 to 2.5 cm) [7]; bloomy blue when young, maturing brown [7].

Look-alikes & how to tell them apart: Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) is very similar [6]. UConn separates dawn redwood by its opposite buds on persistent stems [7]. Morton notes the branchlets resemble yew foliage [3].

Climate & USDA Zone

In the ground: zones 4 to 8 (NC State 4a to 8b, Morton, Utah State) [2] [3] [6], zone 4 (UConn) [7]. UF/IFAS gives 5A to 8B [4], and the Gymnosperm Database and Oklahoma State put the limit at zone 5 [8] [10]. The RHS rates it H7, hardy below -4°F (-20°C) in the garden [9]. These are figures for planted trees, not pots.

In a pot: no source gives a zone. Yorkshire Bonsai wants a cold outdoor dormancy with the container protected in prolonged hard frost [12]. Mistral says it can take about 0°F (-18°C) but should still be protected from frost [13]. Bonsaiwonder protects it below 32°F (0°C), for example in an unheated greenhouse or foil tent [14].

Heat. Bonsaiwonder suggests shade cloth above about 84°F (29°C) [14]. UConn notes it tends to grow late into the season, which risks early fall frost damage [7].

Light

Full sun [2] [3] [9] [11]; NC State asks for 6 or more hours of direct sun [2], Morton 6 hours [3]. The Gymnosperm Database calls it shade intolerant compared with similar species [10]. In hot weather the bonsai sources give it some shade [12] [13] [14]; Yorkshire Bonsai specifies afternoon shade and shelter from drying wind [12].

Watering

In the landscape it likes moist soil [3] [5] and puts up with occasional wet soils [2], wet soil [4] and occasional flooding [3]. On dryness the garden sources differ: Oklahoma State says it is not drought tolerant [8] and UConn says it does poorly on dry soils [7], while Morton and UF/IFAS rate its drought tolerance moderate [3] [4]. Utah State rates its tolerance of poor drainage low [6].

For a bonsai, sources differ on how much. Bonsaiwonder keeps the soil always slightly moist, watering several times a week in spring and sometimes twice a day in summer heat [14]. Mistral calls for moderate watering, about 4 or 5 times a week in summer and twice a week the rest of the year [13]. Yorkshire Bonsai keeps moisture consistent during growth and empties the drip tray after watering [12], while Bonsaiwonder uses a gravel water dish for humidity [14]. Mistral waters less after leaf drop [13], and Yorkshire says a bare tree still needs occasional checks for moisture [12].

Soil & Root Care

The bonsai sources agree on a mix that drains yet holds water [12] [13] [14]. Bonsaiwonder suggests akadama and/or pumice that does not become waterlogged [14]; Mistral suggests akadama with pumice and asks for an acidic substrate, adding kiryuzuna [13]. BCI says inorganic matter helps, because too dry a mix slows growth [11]. In the garden it prefers slightly acid soil [3] [5] [6], and UF/IFAS warns against soil with a high pH [4].

Repotting. About every 2 years: BCI repots every second year as the buds extend [11], Bonsaiwonder every 2 years as the buds start to swell [14], Mistral checks every 2 years because it grows very fast [13], and Yorkshire Bonsai inspects in early spring before the leaves open, noting that mature trees can differ [12]. Bonsaiwonder cuts back about a third of the roots [14].

Feeding

Timing differs by source:

Mistral's autumn feeding conflicts with Bonsaiwonder's stop in autumn.

Pruning & Styling

Trimming. BCI calls it very vigorous and says it needs continual pinching through the year [11]. Bonsaiwonder cuts back long new shoots 2 to 3 times a year, in spring, summer and possibly autumn [14]. Mistral prunes at any time, preferring spring and autumn, and pinches mainly in autumn [13]. Yorkshire Bonsai shortens strong extension growth and plans larger cuts before the spring buds open [12].

Hard cutbacks. Fire Escape Bonsai says a dawn redwood can be cut back to a stump and will push new branches, unlike an evergreen conifer that needs foliage left behind [16]. Bonsai Tonight removed most of the roots, the top half of the trunk and all the branches of a field-grown tree, and it still produced lots of new growth that season [15].

Wiring. Mistral and Bonsaiwonder wire in autumn and winter while the tree is dormant [13] [14]; Mistral removes any spring wire by late summer [13]. Yorkshire Bonsai warns the branches can be brittle, shapes gradually, suggests gentle guy wires, and removes wire before it bites into the bark [12].

Seasonal Calendar

Care calendar by month

Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, shift every month by six.

Propagation & Cuttings

Ease: Not rated by the sources we checked. Best methods: seed or cuttings [2] [4] [9].

UConn sows seed after stratification and roots softwood or hardwood cuttings [7]; UF/IFAS takes cuttings in late summer [4]. BCI sows seed in autumn, takes hardwood cuttings in winter and semi-ripe cuttings in midsummer [11].

Pests

Japanese beetles feed on the foliage [2] [5] [7]. Spider mites appear on dry soils [7] or in dry periods [14], and aphids are named by Mistral and Bonsaiwonder [13] [14]. Yorkshire Bonsai advises against routine insecticide sprays [12]. Several sources call it largely free of pests [3] [8] [9], and BCI lists none [11].

Disease, Fungus & Infection

Canker can occur [3], and UF/IFAS notes a canker reported in recent years [4]. The RHS says it may be susceptible to honey fungus [9]. For bonsai, Mistral says it needs protecting only from aphids and fungal attack, with preventive treatment at the start of spring and summer [13]; Bonsaiwonder warns of mold in overly wet conditions [14]. BCI lists no diseases [11].

Most Common Causes of Death

No source we checked ranks these. They are the main risks the sources describe, in no particular order:

Sources

  1. Kew Plants of the World Online: Metasequoia glyptostroboides
  2. NC State Extension Plant Toolbox: Metasequoia glyptostroboides
  3. The Morton Arboretum: Dawn redwood
  4. UF/IFAS EDIS: Metasequoia glyptostroboides, Dawn Redwood
  5. Penn State Extension: I'm Not Dead, Just Dormant
  6. Utah State University Extension Tree Browser: Redwood, Dawn
  7. UConn Plant Database: Metasequoia glyptostroboides
  8. Oklahoma State University Extension Plant ID: Dawn Redwood
  9. RHS: Metasequoia glyptostroboides, dawn redwood
  10. The Gymnosperm Database: Metasequoia
  11. Bonsai Clubs International: Dawn Redwood
  12. Yorkshire Bonsai: Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia) Care Guide
  13. Mistral Bonsai: Metasequoia bonsai cares
  14. Bonsaiwonder: Metasequoia (water cypress) bonsai care
  15. Bonsai Tonight: Cutback on field-grown dawn redwood
  16. Fire Escape Bonsai: dawn redwood

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