Our Metasequoia

Our neighbor Lillian Finley gave us her potted dawn redwood after she decamped from Monroe Street. I believe they were in residence since George's return from the great war; certainly they'd raised a family in their small bungalow and grown old there surrounded by her plants. George died that year; over the next decade her splendid garden was fated wither away. Fortunately, she'd the foresight to be generous with her plants before her move. She couldn't resist moving her tree peyonies...I hope they made the trip intact. She also took her endless supply of pies, cakes and eclairs. Monroe Street has never really recovered.

The metasequoia was in a rotting redwood planter, about 2' tall. We'd had to cut down an incense cedar put too close to our foundation, and I wanted to put the new tree near to that spot. Aside from the threat to raise that corner of our old house, the old cedar was a grand highway for the opossums nesting in the attic. I'm not sure I expected much, but it was such a nice gesture to give us this replacement; so in it went. I'm not sure, but that was probably 1986. Growth since has been very gratifying despite competition cutting off the morning sun.

Lillian told me the charming story that this is an ancient species, thought extinct, but then discovered by a botany student on walkabout. Once worldwide, it had persisted mysteriously only in a limited range in the Chinese hinderland. In years since, its been shipped here and there so may regain a place worldwide. I've seen about ten others locally, all thriving. I don't believe it is a nursery favorite; but it's said to grow easily from cuttings. For those of us who never entirely recovered from learning that there were no living specimens of our favorite dinosaurs, it's a best bet.

Posted on April 11, 2011 05:45 PM by icosahedron