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Please help identify species #746182

Asked April 25, 2021, 1:53 PM EDT

Hi there. There's a conifer near our house (in W. Bloomfield Twp.) that I find fascinating but I have no idea what species it is. I've attached some images. The lower part of the trunk appears dead (and many branches are) but there is some green foliage at the top. The first two shots are of the tree in question while the third is from what's left of a rotting stump of a different tree showing the interesting (for a non-arborist--I suppose this is typical for pines) way the branches are inserted. It's obviously a different species as it lacks the interesting "fluting" present in the other tree's trunk. Thanks for helping to clear this up and Go Green!

Oakland County Michigan

Expert Response

Neat photos! I believe this is a dawn redwood - Metasequoia glyptostroboides. More info about this species here:

Isabel Branstrom Consumer Horticulture Educator Michigan State University Extension Want to learn more about gardening in Michigan?  Visit www.migarden.msu.edu Replied April 26, 2021, 9:28 AM EDT

Thanks--that "strange pine" has been the subject of multiple photos (others of which I'll get around to posting at some point) as I find it fascinating. It thought it was dead until its neighbors dropped their foliage and I saw that it retained a small canopy. The "other pine" is clearly a different species--I just thought it was cool the way the branches inserted into the trunk and remained intact after the heartwood disappeared. The beauty and wonder of nature is endless!

The Question Asker Replied May 29, 2021, 10:22 AM EDT

I agree - it's so fun to get lost in the beauty of nature. Thanks again for using Ask Extension and take care!

Isabel Branstrom Consumer Horticulture Educator Michigan State University Extension Want to learn more about gardening in Michigan?  Visit www.migarden.msu.edu Replied June 01, 2021, 7:54 AM EDT

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