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Dawn redwood

Metasequoia glyptostroboides

  • Accession number: 1000-007
  • Native to: China
  • Common names: Dawn redwood

A beautiful deciduous conifer species, with a wonderful soft fluted trunk and delicate feather like foliage.

It is a well-known example of a ‘living fossil’ species, having first been discovered in fossil records and thought to have become extinct 2 million years ago. Then to much surprise, in 1941 small populations were found alive in central China.

The species faces considerable risks of extinction in its wild range due to deforestation; however, it has been planted extensively in arboretums around the world. If the species hadn’t been discovered when it was, it is possible it might have become extinct before being investigated.

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