Friday, May 22, 2009

Skywatch - Golden Dawn Redwood

Golden Dawn Redwood
Metasequoia glyptostroboides 'Goldrush'
(met-uh-see-KWOY-uh) (glip-toh-stroh-BOY-deez)
Synonym: M. gly. ‘Ogon’
Skywatch Friday

A while back I posted that I had bought this tree and didn’t know if the marketing hype had got me or it was good decision. It has worked out nicely as the tree has already grown a couple of feet and is starting to shed it’s ‘nursery' shape with a nice branching structure. Its color is stunning and even in the fall the needles turn a nice rusty brown before falling off. It is a Deciduous Conifer. There aren’t too many of those around and I can only think of Larches (Larix), Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia), Bald Cypress (Taxodium) and Golden Larch (Pseudolarix). I am sure that is not a complete list.

If you click the Dawn Redwood label you can see the original picture I took of the foliage. It seems to be a very photogenic tree. I took this and the next picture with Skywatch Friday in mind. Yellow and blue is a nice combination in the garden.

I am not sure if anyone really knows how tall this tree gets. I did read 2/3’s of the size of a regular Dawn Redwood, which is still really big. Luckily I envisioned it getting real big and gave it enough space. It is growing on very wet soil and seemingly loves it.


Golden-leaved Boxelder
Acer negundo 'Kelly's Gold'
(AY-ser) (neg-UN-doh)
Synonym: Ash-leaved Maple, Cutleaf Maple, Stinking Ash

This is another golden tree growing at work. It has turned out okay and does add a chartreuse element to the partly shady area it is located in. I have seen it growing out in the open and it really does turn gold. It is nice since the inside leaves are a bright green so the contrast between the two is beautiful. Box Elder isn’t my favorite tree but some of the specialty ones are nice. There are two different variegated ones at work and both are handsome and almost dainty trees. One is 'Aureomarginatum' and the other is 'Variegatum'.

Kelly’s Gold’ gets up to 35 to 40 feet tall but mine is going to be shorter then that. Boxelder is native to a wide geographical area (it is the most widely distributed of the North American maples) and is considered an invasive species in some areas. It can grow on almost any soil type. It is extremely cold hardy.

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9 comments:

Guy D said...

Very informative post and your photos are outstanding.

Have a great weekend
Guy
Regina In Pictures

Sharon said...

I absolutely LOVE the combination of this green & blue together. Beautiful!!

Anonymous said...

Interesting, I learned something and enjoyed the texture and shapes of foliage against the sky. Just lovely.

Russ said...

Very nice. Love the redwood leaves..

SandyCarlson said...

What an intense sky behind those lovely branches. Well done, as ever.

Les said...

We put one in the display gardens at work about 6 years ago. It was a little scrawny, but now it is spectacular.

Sara Chapman said...

Hi Chris,

You make the simplest photo delectable. And I want to know how your flash of those roses looks so natural. Is there a special close-up flash setting on that Nikon? Must be.

Have a great weekend,

Sara

Danielle said...

Love the first shot most! Interesting info. Didn't know a tree could be both.

Digital Flower Pictures said...

Thanks to everyone who took the time to comment.

Sara, I guess I just got lucky. The only thing I did different was turn the flash compensation down -0.7. It was the 105VR macro lens.