Detailed Guide to Dawn Redwood Cultivation Techniques, Teaching You to Grow Dawn Redwood Well

Dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides), also known as water fir, belongs to the family Taxodiaceae, genus Metasequoia.

I. Overview:

It is an ancient and rare tree species, known as a "living fossil," and is a nationally key protected plant. In 1941, Chinese botanists first discovered it in the area of Wanxian in Sichuan and Lichuan in Hubei, which caused a sensation in the world of botany.

II. Ecological Characteristics:

Native to China. It prefers a warm, humid environment with plenty of sunlight. It has strong adaptability, is cold-resistant, not shade-tolerant, tolerant of waterlogging, and not tolerant of drought and barren soil. The optimum growth temperature is 15-20°C; in winter it can withstand low temperatures of -30°C, and in summer it can withstand high temperatures of 46°C. The ideal soil is a slightly acidic sandy loam with deep, fertile soil and good drainage; it is relatively tolerant of saline-alkali soil.

III. Propagation Techniques:

1. Sowing: Only 30-year-old plants can bear seeds, and 40-60-year-old plants enter the peak seed-bearing period. Spring sowing in March is preferable; the optimum germination temperature is 12-20°C, germination occurs 10-15 days after sowing, and the germination rate is 8%-10%. The seedlings can reach a height of more than 40 cm in the same year.

2. Cuttings: Hardwood and softwood cuttings are commonly used. Taking 1-year-old plump branches from 1-5-year-old seedling plants as cuttings is best and gives the highest survival rate. Hardwood cuttings are carried out in February-March; the branches are cut after leaf fall, tied in bundles, stored in sand over winter, and inserted into the seedbed the following spring, with misting to maintain humidity, rooting in 30-40 days. Softwood cuttings are carried out in May-June; select semi-lignified branches 12-15 cm long, and they root 20-25 days after insertion.

IV. Cultivation Points:

For seedling transplanting, small seedlings should be kept with more native soil, and large seedlings should be kept with a soil ball. Apply sufficient base fertilizer before planting, and water thoroughly after planting. Keep the soil moist during the growing season. Two years after planting, fertilize once before spring budding, and once each in early summer and autumn. Prune appropriately during the seedling stage, and use thin bamboo to keep them upright.

V. Pest and Disease Control:

The main diseases are damping-off and dry rot, which can be sprayed with 200 units of agricultural streptomycin powder at 1000 times dilution. Pests include bagworms and white nematodes, which can be killed by spraying 0.5% abamectin emulsifiable concentrate at 1500 times dilution.