Rare Conifer · Living Fossil

How to Grow Dawn Redwood from Seed
Metasequoia glyptostroboides

Thought extinct for 5 million years. Rediscovered in 1944 in a remote valley in central China. Now you can grow this living fossil at home — from a single seed to a 35-metre giant.

Zone 4Cold hardiness
−34°CMin temperature
35 mMature height
30 PCSSeeds per pack
Metasequoia glyptostroboides seeds — Dawn Redwood
SALE
−40%
SKU: H9 · Oreshka Seeds
Metasequoia glyptostroboides — Dawn Redwood
30 PCS fresh seeds · Cypress family (Cupressaceae)
€5.00 €8.33

30 seeds per pack · In stock (10 packs) · Ships worldwide in 2–3 days

Detailed Buy

The plant

What is Dawn Redwood — and Why Is It Extraordinary?

Metasequoia glyptostroboides is the only living species in its genus — a conifer that grew alongside dinosaurs 65+ million years ago. For decades, scientists knew it only from fossils scattered across the Northern Hemisphere. The consensus was clear: it was extinct.

Then, in 1944, a Chinese forester named Zhan Wang found a cluster of enormous unfamiliar trees growing in the Shuishaba valley in Hubei province. The entire wild population — fewer than 5,400 trees — was confined to this single valley system in central China. It was one of the most dramatic botanical discoveries of the 20th century.

The living fossil fact: When Japanese botanist Shigeru Miki formally described the fossil genus in 1941, he named it Metasequoia. Three years later, living trees matching his fossil descriptions were found in China — a species thought extinct for 5 million years was still alive.

Today, Metasequoia is widely grown as a garden and park tree across North America and Europe — prized for its extraordinary growth speed, cold hardiness, and spectacular autumn colour. Unlike almost all other conifers, it is deciduous: it drops its soft feathery needles every autumn after turning golden-orange to russet-red, then produces fresh bright-green needles each spring.

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Quick facts

Metasequoia at a Glance

Native Range Shuishaba valley, Hubei, China
Mature Height Up to 35 m (15–25 m in gardens)
USDA Zone Zone 4 (−34°C to −29°C)
Light Full sun, tolerates partial shade
Watering Moisture-loving · No waterlogging
Cones appear Age 6–9 years · Blooms in May

Growing guide

How to Grow Metasequoia from Seed — Step by Step

Germination rate from fresh seeds: 40–70%. Cold stratification is the single most important factor.

  1. 01
    Cold Stratification — 4 to 6 Weeks

    Mix seeds with slightly moist sand or peat. Place in a sealed zip bag or small container. Keep at 2–5°C in the refrigerator for 4–6 weeks. Check weekly — the medium should feel barely moist, not wet. This cold period mimics winter and breaks the seed's dormancy. Without stratification, germination rates drop below 10%.

  2. 02
    Surface Sowing — Do Not Cover Seeds

    Fill shallow trays with a mix of peat and perlite (2:1 ratio) or fine seed compost. Moisten well. Press stratified seeds onto the surface — Metasequoia requires light for germination, so covering them reduces success significantly. Cover the tray with a clear plastic lid or cling film to maintain humidity. Keep at 18–22°C.

  3. 03
    Germination — 14 to 28 Days

    Seeds typically sprout in 14–28 days at 18–22°C. Keep the substrate consistently moist but never waterlogged. Provide 14–16 hours of light per day — a bright south-facing window or a simple grow light works well. Remove the plastic cover gradually over 3–5 days once seedlings reach 2–3 cm to avoid damping off.

  4. 04
    First Year Care — 20 to 40 cm by Autumn

    Transplant seedlings to individual 9 cm pots when they reach 5–8 cm tall. Use slightly acidic, well-drained soil (pH 4.5–6.0). Water regularly — Dawn Redwood thrives with consistent moisture. Feed with a balanced dilute fertiliser every 3–4 weeks through summer. Expect 20–40 cm by end of first season in good conditions.

  5. 05
    Planting Out — Second or Third Year

    Choose a sunny, open position sheltered from cold drying winds. Metasequoia does not like competition — allow at least 4–5 metres from other trees and structures. The tree grows 1–1.5 m per year once established in open ground. Plant after last frost, water well through the first summer, and mulch around the base. Protect from late frosts in the first winter outdoors.

  6. 06
    Long-Term Growth — A Tree for Generations

    Metasequoia reaches approximately 3 m by age 5 and 10–12 m by age 10–15. It begins producing seed cones at age 6–9 years. The tree is fully deciduous — needles turn golden-red in October–November, drop over winter, and return fresh bright-green each April. It can live for several centuries and ultimately reaches 35 m with a trunk diameter up to 2 m.

Pro Tip — From the Oreshka Collection

The single biggest mistake growers make is skipping stratification and sowing seeds directly in spring. Metasequoia seeds collected in autumn need a cold period to register that winter has passed. Unstratified seeds germinate at under 10%. A simple 5 weeks in the fridge at 3°C — mixed with moist peat in a zip bag — transforms that to 50–70%. Also: start seeds in February, not April. You want seedlings large enough to handle outdoor conditions by early summer.

Compare

Metasequoia vs. Coast Redwood vs. Giant Sequoia

Feature Metasequoia
Dawn Redwood · H9		 Sequoia sempervirens
Coast Redwood · H18		 Sequoiadendron
Giant Sequoia
USDA Zone Zone 4 · −34°C Zone 7–8 · −15°C Zone 6 · −23°C
Evergreen? Deciduous (unique!) Evergreen Evergreen
Growth speed 1–1.5 m/yr (fastest) 0.6–1 m/yr 0.3–0.6 m/yr
Autumn colour Golden-orange to russet None (evergreen) None (evergreen)
Cold climate? Excellent — UK, Germany, Zone 4+ Coastal only · needs fog Mountain climates
Seeds in stock 30 PCS · €5.00 20 PCS · €6.25 —

Avoid these

Common Mistakes When Growing Metasequoia from Seed

Skipping cold stratification

The most common failure. Without 4–6 weeks at 2–5°C, seeds receive no "winter" signal and refuse to germinate. Always stratify before sowing, even if the packet says 'fresh seeds'.

Covering seeds with compost

Metasequoia seeds require light to germinate. Even a thin layer of compost significantly reduces germination. Press seeds onto the surface and leave them uncovered — the plastic lid maintains humidity without blocking light.

Waterlogging seedlings in first year

While Metasequoia loves moisture, seedling roots are highly sensitive to rot in the first year. Use well-draining substrate and allow the top few millimetres to dry slightly between waterings.

Planting too close to other trees or buildings

Dawn Redwood grows very fast and very wide. It does not compete well with neighbouring trees — and its spreading root system can cause problems near structures. Plan for 4–5+ metres of clearance before planting out.

Planting out too early in first season

First-year seedlings are surprisingly delicate in outdoor conditions despite the tree's eventual cold hardiness. Wait until seedlings have at least 6–8 weeks of indoor growth and all frost risk has passed before moving outside.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I grow Metasequoia from seed in the UK, Germany or Northern Europe?
Yes, absolutely. Metasequoia glyptostroboides is hardy to USDA Zone 4 (−34°C to −29°C), which covers the entire UK, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, and most of Scandinavia. Start seeds indoors in February, harden seedlings off in May, and plant out after last frost. Protect first-year plants from hard frosts below −10°C with fleece or mulch, but established trees need no winter protection in Zone 4–8 climates.
How long does Metasequoia take to grow from seed to a visible tree?
Expect 20–40 cm by end of the first season from seed. By age 3–4 (planted in open ground), most trees reach 2–3 m. By age 10, 8–12 m is typical in good conditions. Metasequoia is one of the fastest-growing temperate conifers — once established in open ground, it regularly gains 1–1.5 m per year through its first 30–40 years of growth.
Is Metasequoia evergreen or does it lose its needles in winter?
Metasequoia is one of only a handful of deciduous conifers — it drops all its needles every autumn. Before dropping, the soft feathery needles turn a spectacular golden-orange to russet-red colour, making it highly ornamental in autumn. Fresh bright-green needles return each spring from April onward. This is one of its most distinctive features and sets it apart from all Sequoia relatives.
What is the difference between Metasequoia, Sequoia and Sequoiadendron?
All three are relatives, but very different in practice. Metasequoia (Dawn Redwood) is deciduous, hardy to −34°C, and the fastest-growing — ideal for cold climates. Sequoia sempervirens (Coast Redwood) is evergreen and requires coastal fog; only hardy to about −15°C. Sequoiadendron giganteum (Giant Sequoia) is the world's largest tree by volume, grows more slowly, and is hardy to about −23°C. For growing from seed in European or Northern climates, Metasequoia is by far the easiest.
Can I grow Dawn Redwood in a container or pot?
For the first 2–3 years, yes — use a container of at least 20 litres with slightly acidic, well-draining soil. However, Metasequoia is not a long-term container plant. Its roots expand quickly and it stresses rapidly when root-bound. Plan to plant it into open ground within 3 years for the best results. Permanent container growing produces a much smaller, slower-growing tree with a shorter lifespan.
Why was Metasequoia thought to be extinct, and where do wild trees still grow?
Before 1944, Metasequoia was known only from fossil records dating back 65+ million years. It was assumed extinct after the last ice age. In 1944, Chinese forester Zhan Wang discovered living trees in the Shuishaba valley, Hubei province, China. The entire natural wild population — fewer than 5,400 trees — remains confined to this valley system. The species is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Trees now growing in parks and gardens worldwide all descend from seeds collected from this single valley population in the late 1940s.

Grow Your Own Living Fossil

30 fresh seeds · In stock · Ships worldwide in 2–3 days · Zone 4 cold hardy · −34°C proven

Buy Seeds — €5.00 → Sale price −40% · SKU H9 · 30 PCS per pack · Oreshka Seeds