Metasequoia, Dawn Redwood 'Goldrush'

Hi. I’ve been studying Dawn Redwoods since 1967, and growing them since 1979. One of my favorite species ! My Goldrush / Ogon Dawn R...Read Moreedwoods are not nearly that old. I don’t think they became available till 2000+-. My biggest Goldrush DR reached 36’ tall this year, as measured with my Swedish Digital Clinometer, and 9” diameter at breast height.
My Goldrush / Ogon types grow every bit as fast as the species. No difference in form or structure that I can tell so far. Give full sun and perimeter room to grow. Never trim branches above thigh high. Likes moist well drained soil just like most trees. A slight north slope is loved in Tennessee. I attached a few photos of my Goldrush DR’s. Please see my narrative under the normal species. There, I contribute more of my 50+ years experience with DR’s. Thank you,
Randy Allen of http://www.WhiteHouseArboretum.com .

Planted a 5 gallon 6 ft tall Ogon redwood last summer. One year in it has grown a little less than a foot taller. It's pretty, but part...Read Moreial shade seems to render the growth rate less robust and the needles more of a lime green. The tree is well fertilized and watered, so perhaps more time will produce the growth rates others write of. As an aside, I planted a bald cypress of simile size in the front yard around the same time. One year later the bald cypress is 11 feet tall and still growing. It's a freak and its rapid growth is appreciated in this more open area in need of eventual shading. Of course these two trees are related, and I might offer that sun exposure is central to their respective growth rates. Also note that since the Ogon cultivar of MG has less chlorophyll in its needles, it will likely grow more slowly. So far, disease free, beautiful, and only the most occasional needle burning from drought/ summer heat combination.

I bought this tree a few years after buying a much larger dawn redwood (straight species). The contrast between the two is striking. The ...Read Moredawn redwood (straight species) grows much faster than ‘Gold Rush’ ‘Gold Rush’ is predictably a mix of yellow and chartreuse in the spring and summer. In autumn, my ‘Gold Rush’ begins changing color at least three weeks after the straight species. The normal change from green to orange-red combines with the yellow to make ‘Gold Rush’ much brighter than the straight species in the fall too.

This is a "Wow!" plant. The young trees like afternoon shade here in zone 7b. Ours has grown about 4 feet per year and is now 25-30 fee...Read Moret tall. A Bald Cypress would have also worked at our site but the rapid grown rate of the young Dawn Redwood as well as the great color of this cultivar led to this selection. We expect growth to slow as the tree continues to mature.
On the down side, the Japanese Beetles also love this tree. I control with a drench of imidacloprid (Merit). I think as the tree matures, I can discontinue treatment. Remember to read the labels on any pesticide that you consider using.