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I have a dawn redwood in my city garden. It's starting to grow higher than the surrounding buildings (about 20 to 25 metres), leading to higher winds near the top than the tree was used to for the past decades. We are considering topping the tree to keep it lower than the surrounding roofs. I've however heard that topping some trees (including some related to the dawn redwood) is a bad idea.

Does anyone have specific information about the dawn redwood?

The main goal would be to keep it in our garden as long as possible. It's clear that if it keeps growing, it will have to go at some point in the future. If topping can extend its life by 10 or 20 years, that would be worth it. If topping is likely to make it more dangerous in the near future, I'd rather let the tree grow for a few more years before cutting it down.

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  • There is another post here on topping redwood trees. But I disagree. While it may not be the best for the tree's look and health, I dont see how it makes the tree dangerous.
    – Rohit Gupta
    Commented Jun 14, 2023 at 12:32
  • @RohitGupta I saw that question but I assume it's about a coast redwood. They're related to the dawn redwood but there are quite a few differences. The coast redwood is evergreen while the dawn redwood is deciduous and the coast redwood grows much larger. So I'm not sure the answers there are directly applicable here.
    – FrederikVds
    Commented Jun 14, 2023 at 14:22
  • @RohitGupta just a few factors: instability and top-heaviness, increased risk of splitting and breakage, and that continuously gets worse the more regrowth you get at the top.
    – Stephie ♦
    Commented Jun 14, 2023 at 19:37
  • Surely the worry should not be so much as regards the risk of the tree falling in a wind on a neighbouring property but the risk that as the years go on, the root structure were greatly exceed its footprint. In one online source it stated that whilst the Dawn Redwood has a tap root that grows down only 3 ft, the radial root structure can be extensive and sufficiently resilient to damage buildings even growing through structures and foundations. It might leave Frederik with litigation if he does not do something about this tree surely? Ask your insurer and order a proper arborists report now??
    – Nikki
    Commented Jun 15, 2023 at 3:04
  • @Nikki Can you link that source? I find conflicting information online. The tree is about 15 metres away from the nearest buildings.
    – FrederikVds
    Commented Jun 15, 2023 at 7:25

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It should cause no problems to have your Redwood keep growing, I have two in my front yard which are maybe smaller than average and they are of magnificent presence in that location and have no problems with their roots or with their limbs. Because of the size of our yard we have pruned the Dawn redwoods, Oh up from the bottom so they’re no limbs till you get to about 15 feet or so. 15 feet or so it’s only downside is it size if you have a big small yard It’s Major downside is it’s very big for a small yard unless you prune it up.

We have many plants growing below it with no problems. We give it extra water during the heat But I’m not sure that we absolutely need to do so. In China it does grow in river bottoms and it’s called the water fir. If we had to move and could take only one plant with us I’m sure my wife and I would agree that Dawnwood would be our unanimous choice. It is one magnificent, splendid plant with its birth millions of years ago, probably coexistent with dinosaurs. I’ve never heard of one having a disease or dying prematurely like many other trees much more recent origin. I would put this in the same category as the ginkgo tree also from China.

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