About this tree
Metasequoia glyptostroboides, or dawn redwood, is an ancient conifer species that was thought to be extinct until its rediscovery in the 1940s in China. This deciduous tree can grow up to 40 m tall and has a pyramidal shape with feathery, soft, bright green needles that turn golden brown in autumn before shedding for winter. The dawn redwood was once widespread across the northern hemisphere during the Mesozoic era but is now limited to a small region in China, making it one of the few living fossil trees, along with Ginkgo biloba. The tree’s bark is reddish-brown and peels in strips as it matures. The dawn redwood provides shelter for birds, and is favoured by finches and woodpigeons, while beetle larvae find shelter in its bark, making it a favourite hunting ground of woodpeckers. Its fame as a rediscovered living fossil has led to it being widely planted as an ornamental tree in parks and gardens, while its rapid growth rate has made it a popular choice for reforestation and landscape restoration projects.