A redwood tree?

[metalspinner]

A Redwood tree in Knoxville, TN?  This tree will be dropped soon and was given to me.  The owner planted it in 1960.  Is it really a Redwood?

[Fla._Deadheader]

  Don't know about Redwood   Sure looks like Cypress to me 

[Mooseherder]

Those branches sure do look like cypress.
Strong at that.  A 2 inch diameter branch can hold a couple hundred pounds and not bend.

[Tom]

It looks like it because it belongs to the Family cupressaceae  (cypress family).

It includes bald cypress, junipers (aromatic red cedar), Coastal Red woods, siquoia , Arborvitae and many other species of conifers, ancient in their history and classified as Gymnosperms (naked seed).

Here is a good write up if you have good eyes and a little time.
Toward the bottom is a short "dichotomous key".

Write-up on cupressaceae

I would have guessed, from the location and picture, that it is an Eastern Red Cedar or Southern Red Cedar.

[Tillaway]

Its not a Redwood.

[metalspinner]

I forgot this pic.  She swore up and down it was a redwood.  I know that doesn't
mean anything, but she bought it and planted it.  It doesn't have the smell of cypress and no knee evidence in the yard.

[metalspinner]

Does anyone think the braches, redwood or cypress, would be good for outdoor railings or furniture?  The last two feet to the ground showed lots of evidence of curl.

[Tom]

The pictured cones look like dawn redwood Taxodiaceae Metasequoia glyptostroboides

Dawn Redwood Link


Cypress is known for its outdoor uses if you can get heart wood.  Redwood was popular for decks a few years agos because of its rot resistance, so, I guess it would be a good choice as well.

I was reading about Dawn Redwood and it is pretty interesting. Thought to have been extinct, it was discovered in China in 1944 (or '41) and has been planted world wide to bring it back.  If this is a Dawn Redwood, the owner may have a tree of more significance than she realized.

[Ianab]

I'm with Tom on this one, the shape looks like the Dawn Redwoods we have here. It's closely related to the other Redwoods and bald cypress etc, hence the similarity.
This page has some good info / pics on the various Taxodiaceae trees, should help you confirm the ID, has pictures of all their different leaves too.

http://waynesword.palomar.edu/ecoph40.htm

I've never sawn any or seen timber from it, but all I could find was that the timber was soft, weak and brittle  , but then some people say the same about redwood too. You probably could use it for some outdoor furniture, just go with chunky style to make up for the weaker timber. I'm guessing it's pretty light wood once it's dry so using thicker timber wont make the things immovable.

Cheers

Ian

[metalspinner]

Tom and Ianab,
I am in agreement.  The twig was a dead give away.  I had one in my hand to take home, but lost it between here and there.
So, the lumber is light and fragile?  Will it be good for board and batten siding, or should it be cut and used for something more important?  This tree probably has enough lumber to side my future shop.  It is 36" at breast hieght with plenty of taper.

The owner cutting this tree down pointed out a dozen or so trees in neighbors yards that were offspring of this one.  I took a bag full of cones with me.  How should I go about planting my little forest of redwoods?  Any special instructions that I need to know?

[Weekend_Sawyer]

 I have a similar tree in my front yard, the cones look the same.

The cone pops open like that and little itty bitty seeds fall out. The seeds that came out of mine
are just about the size of a tomatoe seed but a little flatter.

We were told it was a sequoia by the neighbor that gave it to us.

Jon

[metalspinner]

I went back today to look at the tree with all the info linked on this thread plus some.  It is deffinately a Dawn Redwood.  The upward sweep of the branches and the alignment of the needles on the the twigs are the easiest details to identify.
I still have not found info. on the lumber.  Knowing now that they have been planted only as early as the mid-forty's is the reason why.  I guess this tree from the early sixties would be a fairly old one.  The owner is dead set on cutting it.  Tomorrow is the day the tree service is supposed to show.

[derhntr]

I planted a couple this spring. Would have like to have gotten more. Pretty fast growing. Even in the cold here.

Brian

[Dale Hatfield]

Yup Dawn Redwood.
I  drug one home to saw from a removal job. It has very large  growth rings.
 flexiable is how i would describe the wood after sawing it.  I  made 2x for a picnic table. if ya put one over your shoulder you can watch it flex a good distance.  We built  the table but it took far more bracing than any other flavor of wood. It still bowed when ya sit on it. Not for large people.
 As far as it being  rare  they are allover the place around here. landscape trees.
I carved a few pieces of it . I still have one carving of it left. very light wod once it dries. as well as some rubber band lumber up in the barn.

Dale

[sawguy21]

Pretty fast growing. Even in the cold here.

Brian

Must be. Pretty impressive for a fifty year old tree.

[Weekend_Sawyer]

 This has been an interesting thread.

My famly always thought we had a Giant Sequoia but I am sure now that it is a Dawn Redwood.
It was planted as a sapling around 1962 and we were constantly amazed at the amount of yearly growth.
Mom loved the tree and her memorial is infront of it.

When Dad passed away we planted a Giant Sequoia in the back yard and placed a memorial for him infront of it. I have been wondering for the past 3 years why these trees do not look the same. I thought someone had sold us a Juniper. Well now Mystery solved.

Jon