hmmmm. That's wonderful. Originally I was planning on a section of my 6 acres to do this but now I'm going to just plant a few. That's still wonderful there though.

Dax

C-50, great pics! Now that's what I like to see-great conifers, native or introduced-in a fully naturalized state. Are these in GA then? And your comment about their being between two ridges, are you saying that this is a factor in their having plentiful moisture to work with?

+oM

+oM, they are Georgia trees indeed!, and have produced numerous seedlings....seed crop a total failure for 07 &08....re: between the ridges...trees reach skyward for more available sunlight...moisture is plentiful, as a perennial stream is only 30' away.

Here's a different view....note the Bear damage at ~6' up from base...also a Nordman fir in rear near stream

Beautiful!

+oM

Neat and interesting seeing how they grow in different situations. Most of the ones I've seen are grown as specimen plants. Do you know what the source of the trees was 35 years ago? I imagine they were somewhat more difficult to find back then and also before the advent of internet nurseries.

These trees can grow quite tall--I am not sure how tall. Because they were introduced into this country sometime in the late 1940's, we don't have any really fully grown ones here. There is a nice grove planted in the national Arboretum, and I would guess the tallest trees must be near, or a bit over 100 feet tall. Growing in a dense grove, they are encouraged to grow in a tall, narrow form. Really nice!

--Spruce

Wow! Awesome to see what they do in a forest setting. We don't see much of this.

Nate

Nice specimens!

I'd expect a mature height in the region of 40-50 metres.

Resin

Wow that is too cool. I have a whole mess of seedlings, but not really many places to stick them, but after seeing your picks I think I might put them in some clearings in the back woods and see what they do. Thanks for the pics.

What a great species. Temple tree in China reportedly has DBH of 10'.

They look like they would be nice saw logs. Does anyone know if this species would be useful as lumber?
Hank

I've read that they don't have much timber value.

I would think that the wood would resemble Arborvitae wood.A lower value wood but there are many uses for it's light wood.And in some cases quite valueable,unless the Dawn redwood is prone to twisting.

lp

Metasequoias have lousy wood. Pretty, but easily breakable and not very dense and sturdy at all. Easy to imagine, seeing as how fast they grow. Good thing, too, or it might've went extinct a hundred years ago.

Perhaps lumber companies could develop and clone a slower growing variety with denser, sturdier wood. Who knows. But when you have thirty years of growth equaling DBH of up to four feet you have to expect that the wood is not going to be very reliable or able to bear much weight.