Amber Glow Dawn Redwood

Amber Glow Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides 'Amber Glow')

Amber Glow Dawn Redwood brings the soft, feathery texture of dawn redwood to the landscape, with foliage that starts the season in warm, golden tones for an extra layer of color. It grows quickly into a tall, elegant tree, giving you height, shade, and a strong vertical presence in a relatively short time. The fine needles create a lighter, more open canopy that feels airy rather than heavy, making the space beneath it more usable. In fall, the foliage shifts to rich coppery tones before dropping cleanly for winter, keeping the look fresh from season to season.

Distinctive Features

This deciduous conifer is known for its fast growth, straight trunk, and refined, pyramidal shape that becomes broad and stately with age. 'Amber Glow' adds a brighter twist with golden new growth that can mature toward yellow-green, creating contrast against darker evergreens and deep green summer plantings. The soft, fern-like needles are arranged on delicate branchlets and deliver excellent texture, while the tree's bold scale makes it a natural choice when you need a large shade tree with seasonal change.

Growing Conditions

• Sun: Full sun for best growth and strongest foliage color.
• Soil: Adaptable to many soils, including moist soils, but it performs best in evenly moist, well-drained ground.
• Water: Water regularly during establishment, then provide consistent moisture, especially during hot or dry periods.
• USDA Zones: Zones 5 to 8.
• Deer: Deer may browse young growth, so protect young trees where pressure is high.

Ideal Uses

• Focal Point: Use as a focal point in large-scale landscapes where its golden spring flush and towering form can be appreciated from a distance.
• Shade Tree: Develops into a tall, airy shade tree that cools outdoor spaces without creating deep darkness.
• Screening: Use in rows for tall, seasonal screening where fast growth and vertical presence matter.
• Statement Planting: Anchor open lawn areas, driveways, or property edges with a strong, upright silhouette.
• Water-Edge Sites: Performs well near ponds or low areas where moisture is more consistent.

Low Maintenance Care

• Planting: Give plenty of room for mature height and spread, and avoid tight spaces near structures or overhead lines.
• Mulching: Apply a mulch ring to stabilize soil moisture and reduce weeds, keeping mulch off the trunk.
• Pruning: Prune minimally, removing only dead or damaged branches, since the tree naturally maintains a strong form.
• Watering: Deep water consistently during the first two seasons and during drought to support rapid, healthy growth.
• Site Selection: Choose full sun and adequate moisture to keep foliage full and color at its best.

Why Choose Amber Glow Dawn Redwood?

• Golden New Growth: Bright spring foliage adds warm color and contrast to large landscape plantings.
• Fast Growth: Builds height and presence quickly, making it useful for shade and screening.
• Airy Texture: Feathery needles create a light canopy that feels refined and usable beneath.
• Seasonal Change: Coppery fall color and clean winter drop keep the look fresh year-round.
• Bold Scale: A true landscape tree that brings structure and a sense of place to open areas.

If you have space for a big statement tree, Amber Glow Dawn Redwood offers speed, texture, and seasonal color in one reliable package. It reads as elegant up close, impressive from a distance, and it brings a warm glow to spring landscapes that few large trees can match.