Tree ID assistance

[Arborowen]

Completely stumped by this, although it seems to give me the feeling i've met it before. possible Metasequoia glyptostroboides

 

Your thoughts appreciated.

Edited January 16, 2012 by Arborowen

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

Yup, I reckon so...opposite buds.

 

Look here..Redwood World - Types

 

Cheers..

Paul

[Arborowen]

Cheers Paul

 

Should always go with the gut feeling! sometimes the surroundings and condition of a tree can cause just the right amount of confusion and allow the casting of doubt!

 

thanks

[Beardie]

Metasequoia has the unique characteristic of having axial buds below the leaves, not above. On the twig pictures, I either can't see the leaf scar clearly, or can't work out which way is top! The outside pics look like it, though.

[Trees-]

I wouldn't say metasequoia due to the branch structure on the last picture. what are the leaves like?

[Arctostaphylos uva-ursi]

Yes its Metasequoia glipstroboides. The change of colour of the cut wood surface from white to purple clinches the deal.

[Arctostaphylos uva-ursi]

Don't cut it down!

[likeitorlumpit]

I'm guessing those trees are around 60 years old- anyone got a better guess

[daltontrees]

Species thought extinct was rediscovered in 1940 then in numbers in 46 and I think brought over to Kew shortly afterwards. The oldest ones in Britain can't be more than 60.

I read somewhere that the leaves are really branchlets. Also read they are easy to propagate by cuttings, a client has a tree and I took cuttings last month which are struggling but may make it. Lovely soft foliage, like velvet.

[jwade]

Yep, definately dawn redwood, quite an easy species to root from cuttings, it's a species that actually does really well in moist/wetter soils or by a lake/pond as an alternative to Taxodium distichum (swam cypress) as in it's native habitat grows in these conditions - infact the chinese call it a 'water fir'. Often see these trees with the lower branches hacked off - looking terrible as the whole idea of the tree is that the branches are fully furnished to ground level.

 

It's one of those fossil trees that was lost to botany, rediscovered in the 40's and distributed widely, I think the oldest one planted outdoors in the UK is in the Cambridge BG if I remember correctly.