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Connecticut

I was wondering if anyone had a source of Giant Redwood seedlings.
I would like to plant a few here in CT Zone 6a. I know I will not live to see them get big but imagine what they will look like to my great grand kids.

3/4/2012 12:33:51 PM

Minnesota

No, but a few years ago I bought Sequoia and Redwood seedlings from muir woods trading company. Sadly to say they died, was fun trying to grow them.

3/4/2012 8:46:03 PM

formerly RGG

They only grow to their full potential under the conditions found in parts of coastal California.

3/4/2012 10:49:11 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

You can get some called 'dawn redwoods' and if you can water them enough to get the taproot down, they grow fairly fast their first few years then slow down. They are less prone to be attacked by anything.

Plant two within 100 or so feet so they have a 'friend'. They will do much better that way.

http://www.coldstreamfarm.net/p-64-dawn-redwood-metasequoia-glyptostroboides.aspx

There is also a 'preserve' out east, I have to find their contact again.

3/5/2012 12:31:46 AM

Bethlehem CT

Dennis is right it will not reach it's full potential here. But with that being said they are still worth growing. There is a fine specimen at the Arnold Arboretum in Boston. It is worth taking a ride up there to see it. I would bet the 'Arnold's Promise' witch hazel is in bloom right now! Lot's to see there.
Here is a source I have ordered from before, they sell everything you could possibly imagine.
http://greergardens.com/Conifers%20Sciadopitys%20-%20tsuga.htm

3/5/2012 8:45:00 AM

Pataskala,OH

I have seen pictures of them growing in Ohio, The furthest north they grow is in Zone 6a so it may be able to grow in CT.

3/5/2012 8:55:35 AM

Pataskala,OH

Here is a picture of some growing in CT.

http://www.giant-sequoia.com/gallery/usa/connecticut/

3/5/2012 8:57:18 AM

Connecticut

Thanks. I ordered 3 and will give it a shot. The trees I ordered are not Coast Redwoods. These tree are Sequoia, they grow at 5000 to 8000 feet in the Sierra's so it gets cold there with tons of snow. I will need to protect them when young from the drying winter wind because they are usually buried all winter.

3/5/2012 2:18:21 PM

Taylorsville, California

Dreamer, as skier said the sequoia is quite different from the coastal redwood, and are endemic to the Sierra Nevada mountains. While they are sterile and won't reproduce when planted outside of their native sierras they have been know to grow just fine worldwide. What an amazing tree, awe-some! Good luck skier

3/8/2012 12:09:06 PM

Littleton, Colorado

I've seen that Raintree Nursery, In Washington sells the Dawn redwood. I've been tempted to try it, as it sounds like it could tolerate even zone 4. But then again, our climate is a pretty harsh zone 4 to 5!

3/10/2012 1:58:04 AM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

Dawn Redwood, there are trees growing at 8000 or so feet in China in zone 4 so they should work.

Major points... they need two to be 'happy', planted within 150 feet. They will windkill in winter, so be sure to protect them in their first few years...but they need 8' of 'free space' or they won't put branches on that side. They need water to get the taproots down, so you will have to water them heavily their first few years.

Dawn Redwoods are being grown in the Mojave Desert, just need the water to do it. I was advised that here I might have issues with the winterkill on the predominant wind side, and I might lose the growing tip within the first three years of trying to get them established.

They will grow rapidly their first few years, putting on height and being kind of thin and tall, then start filling out as they go up after that.

3/10/2012 4:50:24 AM

Connecticut

I have a Dawn Redwood here in CT . This will be its 3rd summer out.
The first year I put it in my sunroom over winter and the leaves started to come out so I planted it in late April. Big mistake. A hard frost killed all the leaves. I let it be and by June new leaves started to appear. Then I did not water and it had a big die off in August.
Last summer we had tons of snow so it was buried all winter. It loved that and started to grow very well but the dear ate the growth tip. At side branch slowly angled up and took over only to have the tip of that eaten in August when the protection blew over in a storm.
With all that it is only about 18inches tall but I do see new buds forming so I think it is still alive.

3/10/2012 8:16:52 AM

Connecticut

Opp Should be last winter with the Snow. LOL

3/10/2012 8:18:01 AM

Bethlehem CT

Once the dawn redwoods get going they grow really, really fast. I have got a young one here that has been going 3-4' per year for the past 5 years. It has fully doubled in size in that time. One thing I have learned about the dawn redwood is this. If you want the trunk of the tree to have deep furrows, leave the bottom branches. If you remove them while the tree is young the trunk will be round and smooth which is, less interesting. Eventually you can remove the branches and the tree will have the character that is desired.

3/10/2012 9:06:08 AM

Connecticut

I have 3 Sequoias growing. 1 outside and 2 in pots, moved in and out as desired. They all look healthy so far.

4/28/2012 9:09:24 AM

Montclair, NJ

I have two DR seedlings 4"high I grew from seeds. They are not pot bound. They are covered with buds but haven't grown for several weeks. I keep them out of the hot sun on a porch. Are they just dormant, and if so, what can I expect from them over the next few months? Will they shed like the big trees for winter? How do I care for them now? Thanks for the info. I love these trees!

8/11/2012 11:04:48 AM