Metasequoia Glyptostroboides 'Matthaei Broom'

[Sn0W]

I visited a semi local nursery the other day and found they had a huge collection (40 - 50) of Dawn Redwoods. They had clearly been there a long time as they had attached themselves to the floor through the bottom of the pots. The trunks ranged from 2 - 7 inches roughly and I thought they'd make great formal upright bonsai. However when I moved some of the foliage around and removed some of the foliage that had dropped and was stuck between branches I could see that all of the trees had been chopped so they had huge diameter flat at varying heights up the tree. They had all exploded with growth over the years and had loads of branches sticking straight up around where they had been chopped. At the time I thought they probably wouldn't heal over even if I selected a new leader and removed the rest of the competition so I wrote them off but I was wondering if anyone had any experience with something similar?
I may be going past over the weekend so I could run in and get some pictures if that would help.

 

[gallina1594]

I visited a semi local nursery the other day and found they had a huge collection (40 - 50) of Dawn Redwoods. They had clearly been there a long time as they had attached themselves to the floor through the bottom of the pots. The trunks ranged from 2 - 7 inches roughly and I thought they'd make great formal upright bonsai. However when I moved some of the foliage around and removed some of the foliage that had dropped and was stuck between branches I could see that all of the trees had been chopped so they had huge diameter flat at varying heights up the tree. They had all exploded with growth over the years and had loads of branches sticking straight up around where they had been chopped. At the time I thought they probably wouldn't heal over even if I selected a new leader and removed the rest of the competition so I wrote them off but I was wondering if anyone had any experience with something similar?
I may be going past over the weekend so I could run in and get some pictures if that would help.

7 inch??????!!!!!

 

[Sn0W]

Haha, that's a pretty big typo. That's why you shouldn't type numbers on the numpad whilst eating.

2 - 4 Inch trunks*

 

[Zach Smith]

The Dawn Redwood is cousin to the Bald Cypress. They heal wounds like nobody's business, regardless of where they are on the tree. If you trunk chop a Dawn, it ought to heal up just fine.

 

[Wilson]

If the price is right! As Zach mentioned, these grow like crazy. You could carve, or encourage healing over wounds. Share some pictures and you can get even more advice on the value of the material.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Whether good or bad really depends on what is there, so pictures would help. Also depends on your skill set, or ability to pick up the info you need, visualize what you are reading or in person resources there in the UK that you enlist.

Also depends on how long a time line you envision as being reasonable to make a passable bonsai. Dawn redwoods grow fast. Even mediocre material could be trained to at least local show quality in ten years. But you are the only one who can decide if they are worth it.

 

[Sn0W]

Great! Thanks for the info. I didn't get a chance to go back this weekend but will at least be passing by at some point in the next week so I'll take some pictures and post them up.

 

[gallina1594]

Haha, that's a pretty big typo. That's why you shouldn't type numbers on the numpad whilst eating.

2 - 4 Inch trunks*

Hah! I was going to say Lord have mercy get it NOW!

 

[Potawatomi13]

Four inch not too bad. Formal upright boring. Easy to do informal with these trees especially with any trunk movement.

 

[M. Frary]

Four inch not too bad.

That's not what she said.

 

[Sn0W]

Finally managed to get some pictures, got a friend to do it but he said there weren't as many there as I'd said. Hoping they've just moved them for winter storage as I asked him to get some pictures of some Blue Spruce that looked like they'd make good literati but he said they were gone too.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

All of those look like I could do something with them. 5 to 10 years, and you could have something nice, good enough for club and local shows.

If the price is low enough, go for it. Don't deplete your budget on these, they are not that exceptional. But good enough to pickup if cheap in your budget.

 

[herzausstahl]

The Dawn Redwood is cousin to the Bald Cypress. They heal wounds like nobody's business, regardless of where they are on the tree. If you trunk chop a Dawn, it ought to heal up just fine.

@Zach Smith I've read several of your posts on Bald Cypress, would you treat Dawn Redwoods the same? Or is there anything you would do differently?

 

[Potawatomi13]

Ask if thrown in compost heap? Could get real cheap or free?

 

[Zach Smith]

@Zach Smith I've read several of your posts on Bald Cypress, would you treat Dawn Redwoods the same? Or is there anything you would do differently?

I would, but I haven't grown Dawn redwood. Perhaps someone who has grown both can give more insight.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I have both, their growth pattern seems similar, at least in the development phase of bonsai. None of my dawn redwoods nor my bald cypress are in the refinement phase, were the differences would be more obvious.

Dawn redwood seems more coarse in growth habit, and faster growing. But I am in the northern half of the midwest, my summers might be a bit cool and short to get vigorous growth out of bald cypress.

 

[Timbo]

Yeah the limited ones I've had, Redwoods way outgrow Bald cypress...diff ages though.