Metasequoia glyptostroboides Chubby - Dawn Redwood

Metasequoia glyptostroboides 'Chubby', much less vigorous than the type species and denser in foliage, is well suited to small gardens. This conifer forms a very regular cone, particularly ramified, adorned with fine fern-like foliage that changes colour throughout the seasons. Its young blue-green shoots turn to a fresh green-yellow in summer, then tinges from pink-violet to yellow before falling in autumn. 'Chubby' is not lacking in appeal in winter, when its cracked reddish-brown bark is on display. Give it a prime location, plenty of light, and moist soil.

Metasequoia glyptostroboides, cousin of Sequoiadendron, is a large conifer of the Cupressaceae family. It is native to China, more precisely to the west of the Sichuan province, where it was only discovered in 1941. It is the only surviving species of a very ancient genus, dating back to the Cretaceous period, concurrent with the extinction of terrestrial dinosaurs and the beginning of an ice age. Its species name, glyptostroboides, refers to the cone-shaped fruits (strobiles) that closely resemble cypress fruits. In its natural environment, under good conditions, it can reach a height of 40m (131ft) with a spread of 10m (33ft), and develop a conical and erect habit, sometimes almost columnar. This species shows very rapid growth in moist soil and appreciates temperate climates as well as non-calcareous marshy soils.

'Chubby' originates from a 'witches' broom' discovered on the vegetation of a classic metasequoia. This quite common natural phenomenon is the result of a disease induced by viruses, fungi, or bacteria. It manifests as an aggregation of dwarfed branches and twigs. 'Chubby' is of modest size with a slow growth rate. It develops very ramified, short, and thick branches, which give its vegetation a plump and chubby appearance. This small tree forms a regular pyramid, reaching a height of about 3.5m (11ft) and a spread of 2.5m (8ft) at ground level. It develops a fluted trunk at the base, covered with cracked reddish-brown bark. Its branches are arranged in an opposite manner and develop into short woody branchlets that themselves bear short and deciduous ramules. The leaves, arranged in two opposite rows along a common axis and on the same plane, are linear, 8 to 15cm (3 to 6in) long and 1 to 2mm (1in) wide. They are flexible, flattened, and blue-green in colour in spring. They turn chartreuse green and then fresh green in summer, before taking on various shades of rusty brown, old pink, and copper before falling. The flowering occurs on mature individuals. The inflorescences are globose, scaly, and pedunculated cones, measuring 2 to 3cm (1in) in diameter.

Metasequoia glyptostroboides 'Chubby' will be an exceptional subject if growing conditions are met. It will be the pride of any gardener who plants it, and will undoubtedly survive, fully integrating the history of a family and a garden. It can be planted as a focal point, especially at the edge of a natural pond where it will thrive. It requires little to no maintenance after the first few years and pairs well with other conifers with autumn foliage such as larch, certain thuja species, or bald cypress. The structural qualities of conifers naturally impose themselves in the design of a contemporary garden, which prefers the aesthetics of shapes, silhouettes, and textures over the fleeting appearance of flowers. Despite being bare in winter, it loses none of its majesty due to its beautiful structure and its twisted trunk on mature specimens.