In this article, we will go over everything you need to know about the dawn redwood and the bald cypress so that you can recognize which one is which. In addition, we will give you some tips as to how these two trees prefer to grow, in case you are interested in planting one for yourself. Let’s get started and learn all about these beauties now!
Comparing Dawn Redwood vs Bald Cypress
Key Differences Between Dawn Redwood vs Bald Cypress
There are a number of key differences between the dawn redwood and the bald cypress. Despite often being confused for one another, the dawn redwood and the bald cypress belong to very different plant families. In addition, dawn redwood needles grow opposite one another, while bald cypress needles grow in an alternating pattern. Finally, bald cypress trees grow shorter compared to the towering dawn redwood tree. Let’s take a look at these differences and a few others in more detail now.
Dawn Redwood vs Bald Cypress: Classification
While these trees look shockingly similar, especially when planted in watery environs, the dawn redwood and the bald cypress belong to different plant families. For example, the dawn redwood is classified as Metasequoia glyptostroboides, while the bald cypress is classified as Taxodium distichum. This is because the dawn cypress belongs to the Sequoia family, while bald cypresses belong to the Cypress family.
Dawn Redwood vs Bald Cypress: Description
Bald cypresses and dawn redwoods are unique in the fact that they are both capable of growing near water, including swamps and ponds. Their trunks and roots bow out toward the bottom, allowing for air flow and root oxygenation. However, there are a number of physical differences between dawn redwoods and bald cypresses. For example, the dawn redwood grows taller compared to the average bald cypress, with trees as tall as 165 feet recorded compared to the average cypress growing 125 feet. In addition, the needles of the dawn redwood grow in an opposite arrangement compared to the alternating needles of the bald cypress. Finally, the bark of the dawn redwood is reddish-brown, while the bark of the bald cypress is grayish-brown.
Dawn Redwood vs Bald Cypress: Uses
When it comes to the uses of these two trees, there are some key differences. For example, bald cypresses are used frequently in construction work due to the disease resistance of the heartwood of this tree, while dawn redwoods are considered a threatened species and not often used to build things. In addition, dawn redwood trees are ideally used in large estates or parklike settings given just how big they can grow, while bald cypresses are planted in more settings overall. The bald cypress is more narrow compared to the dawn redwood, so it gives you more opportunities to plant them!
Dawn Redwood vs Bald Cypress: Hardiness Zones and Care
The care of the dawn redwood and the bald cypress overlaps somewhat. However, the bald cypress grows in more hardiness zones compared to the dawn redwood. For example, the dawn redwood grows best in hardiness zones 4 through 8, while the bald cypress grows best in hardiness zones 4 through 10. Both of these trees prefer full sunlight in order to thrive and grow tall, and they are both highly adaptable to moist conditions.
Dawn Redwood vs Bald Cypress: Special Features
Both of these trees are extremely unique and special given how they adapt to growing in swampy or watery environments. In addition, The dawn redwood and the bald cypress both lose their needles during late fall, which is why the bald cypress is named such. You may not know this, but the dawn redwood is technically an ancient species of tree, with fossil records dating back to the Mesozoic Era, something that the bald cypress does not share with it.
