The dawn redwood (metasequoia glyptostroboides) is a tree species unique to China. Nicknamed "a living fossil plant", it is a tall defoliate tree in the taxodium family. The tree is usually 35-40 meters tall, with a straight and round trunk and main branches in irregular whorls. Its horizontally expanding pinnate leaves are opposite to each other. The first dawn redwood found in China in 1943 is 35 meters tall and 7 meters in diameter, with lush leaves and well-developed branches. It's 400 years old, but still growing.

Since the official announcement of the existence of the tree species, it has been regarded as an important botanical discovery in the 20th century, stunning the whole botany field. The tree species was actually common in Europe, Asia and North America some one hundred million years ago. But when the third ice age came 3 million years ago, huge glaciers engulfed the dawn redwood flourishing in warm and humid climates. The glaciers nearly put the species on the verge of extinction. Only China’s Sichuan, border areas of Hubei and Hunan were little affected by the glaciers due to their complicated landforms. The tree species thus survived in these areas.  

Thanks to its exuberant leaves, beautiful shape and changing colors,  the dawn redwood makes a good ornamental plant that’s tender green in spring, lush in summer, golden in autumn and red in winter. The tree can survive in various environments. Apart from its ornamental value, it’s an ideal dense timber. Currently, the tree is grown in all parts of China except Tibet. As many countries in the world asked China for saplings, the tree has been introduced to about 50 countries and regions in Europe, America, Asia and Africa etc.