Metasequoia glyptostroboides--Dawn Redwood

This is a Dawn Redwood. I love the scuptural look of the truck. Our regular California coastal redwood does not look like that. The leaves are similar to a Coast Redwood. And it looks a bit like a Bald Cypress when it loses its leaves in winter. But the truck, which looks like it has troll homes carves out if it, is unique.

Most botanists know the story about how scientists described this species from fossils before it was known to still be living in China. One place it was found was in the small village of Modaoqi. The people who lived there had built a shrine at its base because they considered it divine or sacred. The tree was used to forecast crop yields and human deaths. It does have a magical look about it.