I think it great that you're trying these trees in Virginia.Here at the Lewis Ginter Garden in Richmond there are both Redwoods and Dawn Redwoods. There are also a number of both genera in the Norfolk area. They seem to require protection from cold winter winds and a soil that is water retentive, but does not remain really wet for more than a day or so. From my own experiece I know that several decorative California pines survive in Virginia.

I got your e-mail, but when I tried to respond it said your account was no longer existing.

So anyway, I hope these make it. I'm sure they will. What I would like to try are some Coast Redwoods. They can make it down to 0 degrees F. Those will be next.

Ryan

I am also in Northern va and I have seen them at a nursery now for 3 years. They are thriving and the caliper on them is now like 4 in across

I have never seen any at a nursery. It would be a nice find. Do you know which of the 3 types they are?

where did you get them i am very interested in trying to grow them myself?

I grew them from seeds, but eBay is a good place to buy seedlings.

I am not in Virginia, but across the Potomac in Maryland. When I was growing up, a house in my neighborhood in DC had a very nice Sequoia growing. Then one day it was gone. I never saw it with any distress over the years. It was close to the house and perhaps that spooked the owners.

Behnke's Nursery over in Beltsville, MD always has Redwoods. They are at least 6 feet tall. I would love one, but alreayd have two huge cedars and cannot put another colossus in my yard.

I may have to check that out one day. I managed to plant 2 more Redwoods, making a total of 4 Redwoods on my lot. I can update if wanted.

Ryan

I live in Silver Spring, MD and the house next door has a 30-year-old Dawn redwood that is doing fine. It has gotten no special care or watering in the last 15 years since I moved here.

KimKa

I'm guessing dawn redwoods are pretty happy here. If you get on Rte 28 south of downtown Manassas, they're what are planted in the median basically between Godwin Drive and 234 bypass.

The Dawn redwoods do quite well here in zone 7a, except that our deer LOVE them (is there anything they won't eat?). We have several trees growing on our property, protected by cages from browsing deer. Our source was a local acquaintance who gave us some seedlings from his trees.
FYI, there is a lovely, huge Dawn redwood at Sarah P. Duke gardens in Durham, NC.

I would love to see pictures :)

I have a Giant California Redwood in my front yard that is about 10 feet tall and does very well through the winter with no problems. I do encounter heat stress with this tree and have to keep it well mulched and watered in the summer heat or it will brown.

As a transplanted washingtonian I'm thrilled to know that there are redwoods in virginia. I may think about putting one on my property once I've select cut my wooded area and cleared out the brush.

I will get pics up in the next few days. The_virginian, what kind of Redwood? It could be either a Coast Redwood or a Giant Sequoia you're talking about. I've had trouble with my Giant Sequoias this summer, glad it's over.

tkhooper, if you need a seedling, just let me know. I've got plenty.

you can find redwood seedlings really cheap online. Trees will grow most anywhere, just not as well as they would in a habitat similar to their home range.

How are these going? I just potted (oak barrel) a 1" Giant Sequoia. I have a few seeds I'm working on too. I leave at the most northern part of VA. Curious about wintering and fertilizing.

I have a ~25' redwood in my front yard in NOVA. Planted many years ago by first owners of my home. Growing steady and one of the best looking trees in my forest.

There are quite a few large Coast Redwoods at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens around the Mirror Lake.

They are simply beautiful and so majestic.

I lived in Va Beach from 1967 to 1982 and at that time there was an old Redwood tree which, if my memory serves me, was planted by a sea captain in the early 1900. It was featured in early 1970 in Virginia Pilot newspaper and it was in a nieghborhood just west of Pacific Ave and near Cavalier Hotel?? I am not sure, but remember in early 1970 you could see it from the ni roadway and it was about 30 feet tall. Does anyone recall it??