It is Metasequoia glyptostroboides, commonly known as Dawn Redwood (and easier to say). It is a living dinosaur, having been well known in fossil form from the Mesozoic Era long before the first living tree was discovered in China in 1941. They are truly beautiful trees and one of the few deciduous conifers.

They can be propagated by seed in autumn, hard-wood cuttings in winter, or semi-ripe wood cuttings in mid-summer.

To get the seed from the cones, pick closed mature cones in autumn, put in a brown paper bag and leave in a warm spot (in front of a sunny window, or on top of the fridge vent or the water heater) for a couple of weeks. The cones will open and the seed will fall out. You don't need to treat the seed in any way - just sow it.

If you just want to own any Dawn Redwood, they are quite easy to come by these days. If you want to particularly have one which has descended from your father's tree, try all three methods.

Seed wasn't collected China until 1947 and the trees were already on the market by about 1950. I guess they are fairly easy to propagate.

I have successfully struck conifers from a side shoot with a bit of a heel and treated with hormone powder.

If you are going to buy one ask for a DAWN Redwood - they are cousins of the Californian Redwood or Giant Sequoia.

Hi Wombat, thank you so much for the information on Dawn Redwood, I will try what you have told me, I already have some hard seed that I have had for a bout 2 years, they were picked in December 2002, so I will ask my father if he will pick the next ones in autumn next year, they look like little hard walnuts, are we talking about the same seed though, these are as hard as nails, I can't see them cracking open on their own.

If the cones are picked when they were ripe, they will open. Sounds as though yours might have been a bit green.

Perhaps your dad could try a few summer cuttings for you as well. Might even be worth a visit at Christmas.

Hi Wombat,

Yes I was talking to him last night on the phone and he was very interested, he agreed with you that they were cones being a conifer, I probably picked them green in December, he said he will pick them next autumn for me, I will see if he could take come cuttings for me, I would be over the moon if he got one to strike. How big do the cuttings have to be, can they be small enough to send through the post? and are they tip cuttings?

Thanks once again

Karn

My experience with striking conifers hasn't been with the Dawn Redwood but I took side pieces about 10-15cm long, with a heel (that is, a bit of the junction where it joins the branch), trimmed off all the foliage from the lower half and dipped in hormone before potting. You can put several in a pot, water and enclose the whole pot in a plastic bag and tie up. You then have a mini hot house. Put in a shady place and check from time to time for new growth. Once you have new growth, remove the bag and gradually move into more sun - but remember that pot dry out quickly so watch the moisture. Once you have little roots showing at the drain holes, carefully remove cuttings and repot separately. Keep in pots until they are big enough to plant out. Leftovers can be distributed amongst friends or donated to school fetes.

You should be able to find more specific information on conifer cuttings/striking on the net.

I don't see why some cuttings couldn't be mailed. I'd leave the cuttings overnight in a jar of water so they got a good drink, wrap them up in damp spagnum moss and pop them in a padded bag and send Express. Considering it will be the middle of summer, I think I'd punch a few little holes in the bag - you wouldn't want them cooking in the plastic liner. Ask your father to send a dozen or so.

Iwill give him that info when I talk to him in a few days, will be very interesting to see what happens, if the cuttings take or not. Thanks wombat

regards
karn

Karnyah if you have sucess in growing the Dawn Redwood seeds I would love some> I don't know what you would like in exchange. At the moment I can get you some Black Bean seeds (Casternosternum Australe) also known as Morton Bay Chestnut. Has beautiful yellow and orange flowers in November highly prized furniture wood. Are planted along some of the streets of Rockhampton.

As an exercise in seeing just how well conifer seeds will open, place a closed, brown cone from a common Pinus Radiata in front of a fan-type heater... When the cone opens it sounds like a super-hyped up version of rice bubbles with lots of cracking and popping and exploding noises - great fun for the kids ;-)

I have successfully grown many different conifers from seed - most grow very well, but many seedlings suffer from 'damping off', where the stem just above the soil rots. To counter this, I 3/4 fill the seedling pot with potting mix, then put in the seed, then cover with medium river sand. The sand allows enough circulation to prevent the rot.

Robyn