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Scientific Name : Metasequoia glyptostroboides ‘Gold Rush’
Common Name : Gold Rush Dawn Redwood
Hardness Zone: 5-9
Article and Photo by: Mark Kane
The Iowa Arboretum has two young specimens of a rare conifer that is rapidly gaining in popularity, Metasequoia ‘Gold Rush’. Until 1944, the dawn redwood was known only from fossil records and thought to be extinct. Then several trees were discovered in a Chinese village. None have been found since. Plant explorers brought seeds from China to the Arnold Arboretum where they were planted and propagated.
The straight species, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, grows to be a large narrow pyramidal tree to 100 feet in height and 25 feet in width under favorable conditions, likely less in Iowa. It has stiff branches and short, flat green needles with a feathery appearance. Although a kin of the redwoods of the West, it is deciduous. The needles turn an attractive rusty red before they drop in autumn. The species is a very garden-worthy plant.
The cultivar 'Gold Rush' can be used as a focal point in your garden. Its conspicuously golden yellow needles light up the summer and autumn landscape. Our trees were donated by Quilted Gardens Nursery and planted near the Hughes Education Center. Although they are listed as hardy to zone 5, they survived last year’s unfavorable winter. It would be prudent to provide protection by a loose burlap wrap during their first two or three winters however. They are worth both a look and consideration in your garden plans.
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Last Updated on Monday, 25 January 2010 21:10 |
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