Metasequoia Leaves Curling and Browning
Drought stress and spider mites are the most common reasons metasequoia foliage curls and browns. This guide shows you how to identify each cause and keep dawn redwood growing vigorously toward its stunning autumn russet display.
1. Drought stress
Drought stress is the most common cause of premature browning in metasequoia, particularly in young trees during their first three growing seasons. Although dawn redwood is associated with waterside habitats and moist conditions, it is also a fast-growing tree with high water demands, and its feathery foliage has a relatively large surface area through which moisture is lost to transpiration. In hot, dry summers or on free-draining soils, the tree can become water-stressed rapidly.
What to look for
The delicate feathery foliage turns from its normal fresh green to a warm tan or premature russet-orange, beginning at the shoot tips and working inward. This early browning closely resembles the natural autumn colour change but occurs weeks or months too early and affects the outermost growth first rather than changing uniformly. The foliage may feel dry and slightly crispy when rubbed. The soil beneath the tree feels very dry at depth. In severe drought, entire branchlets die back and the tree may enter dormancy earlier than usual.
What to do
Water young metasequoia deeply at least once a week during any dry spell throughout their first three growing seasons. Given the tree's eventual large size and rapid growth rate, it needs proportionally more water than most ornamental trees during establishment. Apply a generous mulch of well-rotted compost or bark chip 100 mm deep across the entire root zone to conserve moisture and moderate soil temperature. Established trees with extensive root systems are considerably more drought-tolerant, but benefit from watering during any dry period of three weeks or more. A streamside or pond-edge position suits metasequoia ideally and largely eliminates drought stress.
2. Spider mites
Spider mites, particularly the spruce spider mite (Oligonychus ununguis), frequently attack metasequoia during hot, dry summers, colonising the undersides of the feathery foliage sprays and causing a characteristic dusty bronze stippling that can be severe enough to cause premature foliage drop. The delicate, soft texture of metasequoia's needles makes them attractive to mites, and populations can build very rapidly in warm, dry, still conditions.
What to look for
The foliage develops a dusty, pale, or bronze stippled appearance, losing its normal rich green tone. In heavy infestations, very fine silky webbing becomes visible on the foliage surface, particularly in the junctions between branchlets. Hold a piece of white paper beneath an affected branch and tap it sharply; mites fall onto the paper as slow-moving specks, confirming their presence. The damage typically begins on the lower, older foliage and works upward. Unlike drought browning, spider mite damage produces a more uniformly stippled effect rather than browning from the tips inward.
What to do
Maintain consistent soil moisture, as water-stressed trees are far more susceptible. Misting the foliage with plain water in the morning during hot, dry spells reduces mite populations by increasing humidity around the plant. For established infestations, spray the foliage thoroughly with horticultural soap solution or a plant-oil-based miticide, ensuring all foliage surfaces are well covered. Repeat after five to seven days for two further applications. Encouraging natural predatory mites by avoiding broad-spectrum pesticides provides long-term population regulation.
3. Late frost damage
Metasequoia leafs out relatively early in spring, sometimes from late March in a mild season, and the emerging foliage is vulnerable to late frosts in April and May. Although the tree itself is fully frost-hardy, the soft new growth is damaged by temperatures at or below freezing, causing browning and collapse of the current season's foliage flush. The tree recovers readily, producing new growth from surviving buds within a few weeks.
What to look for
Foliage that was developing normally turns brown or black overnight following a late frost. The damage is sudden and uniform across the whole canopy rather than progressive, distinguishing it from drought or mite damage. The affected feathery foliage hangs limply from the branchlets before drying to a papery brown. New growth should emerge from surviving buds within two to three weeks of the frost event, and the tree typically recovers fully within the same growing season.
What to do
Avoid pruning frost-damaged growth until new shoots are clearly visible below the damaged portions. Then remove the dead material to reveal the new growth beneath. For young trees in frost-prone gardens, covering with horticultural fleece on nights when late frosts are forecast in April and May gives effective protection. The rapid recovery of metasequoia from frost means that even significant damage rarely affects the long-term health of the tree.
4. Stagnant waterlogging
Although metasequoia is genuinely tolerant of wet and even seasonally flooded soils, it is important to distinguish between the dynamic waterside conditions of its natural habitat and the stagnant, anaerobic waterlogging that can develop in heavy clay garden soils or in low-lying positions. Stagnant conditions deprive roots of oxygen and, in contrast to healthy waterside planting, can cause root damage and progressive decline.
What to look for
The tree grows slowly despite adequate moisture. Foliage yellows and browns unevenly, and new growth is weak and pale. The soil in the root zone smells sour and has a dark, anaerobic appearance. If the soil is excavated, fine roots appear dark and rotten rather than pale and firm. This situation is most likely in heavy clay or compacted soil where rainfall cannot drain away and the water becomes oxygen-depleted and stagnant rather than moving through the soil as in a riverside setting.
What to do
Improve soil structure in the planting area by incorporating coarse grit and organic matter before planting. If stagnant waterlogging is severe in an existing planting position, installing a land drain or French drain around the root zone perimeter to encourage water movement significantly improves conditions. A streamside or pond-edge position with flowing or at least well-oxygenated water suits metasequoia far better than a stagnant clay hollow. Where soil improvement is not feasible, consider moving the tree to a better-suited position while it is still young.
5. Wind scorch
The delicate, feathery foliage of metasequoia is susceptible to desiccation from strong or persistent cold winds, particularly in exposed positions or in the narrow, funnel-shaped gardens common in urban settings. Wind scorch causes the foliage tips to dry and brown, superficially resembling drought damage but with a distinct directional pattern related to the wind source.
What to look for
Browning is concentrated on the side of the tree facing the prevailing wind. Unlike drought browning, which affects the tree more uniformly, wind scorch is directional and is worse on the exposed side of the canopy and on the outermost branchlets. Cold easterly winds in late winter and early spring, before the tree has leafed out fully, are particularly damaging; the new spring foliage emerges already partially browned on the windward face. In coastal gardens, salt-laden winds cause similar directional browning.
What to do
Plant metasequoia in a position sheltered from the prevailing cold wind. A position near water, in the lee of other established trees or buildings, provides both the moisture and shelter the tree prefers. In an exposed garden, a permeable windbreak of mesh or established hedging planted to windward of a young tree gives effective protection in the first few years while the tree establishes. Maintaining consistent soil moisture reduces the severity of wind scorch by ensuring the tree has adequate water reserves to replace what is lost through desiccated foliage.
Frequently asked questions
Is it normal for metasequoia to lose its needles in winter?
Yes. Metasequoia glyptostroboides is a deciduous conifer, one of only a handful in the world, and sheds all of its feathery foliage in autumn before the winter. This is completely normal and not a sign of disease or stress. Before dropping, the needles turn a beautiful russet, coppery-orange or pinkish-brown colour in October and November. The bare tree in winter is still attractive for its conical silhouette and distinctive fluted trunk base.
How fast does metasequoia grow?
Metasequoia is one of the fastest-growing conifers available in the UK, capable of adding 60 to 100 cm per year when young and growing in good conditions. It reaches 20 to 30 metres at maturity, though it takes many decades. In ideal conditions, with moist fertile soil and full sun, it can be exceptionally vigorous. This rapid growth makes it unsuitable for small gardens unless a compact cultivar such as 'Gold Rush' is chosen.
Why are my metasequoia needles turning orange in summer?
Orange or bronze discolouration of metasequoia foliage in summer before the normal autumn colour change is almost always caused by drought stress or spider mite infestation. Drought causes the feathery foliage to dry and take on a premature autumn colour, starting at the shoot tips. Spider mites produce a stippled, dusty bronze colouration across the foliage. Both causes can look similar; checking for mites on the undersides of foliage sprays with a hand lens or white paper test confirms their presence.
Can metasequoia grow in waterlogged soil?
Metasequoia is significantly more tolerant of waterlogged conditions than most trees and can grow alongside streams and in seasonally flooded areas, reflecting its native habitat along riversides in China. It is an excellent choice for gardens with a high water table or seasonally wet ground. However, it does not perform well in permanently stagnant, anaerobic waterlogging, and even this water-loving tree benefits from some drainage movement rather than stagnant conditions.
Does metasequoia need acidic soil?
Metasequoia is adaptable to a wide range of soil pH from slightly acidic to neutral and tolerates mildly alkaline soils better than many ornamental trees. It is not a strict acid-lover in the way that rhododendrons or stewartia are. Moist, fertile, deep soil with good drainage is far more important than precise pH. It performs best in slightly acidic, humus-rich conditions that replicate the alluvial river-valley soils of its natural habitat in China.
Find the best spot for your plants
Plant Compass maps the sun path across your windows so you know exactly which plants will thrive in each spot before you buy. Coming soon to the App Store.
Learn more