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Recounting the history of the Dawn Redwood, a living fossil in Boston parks

Did you know that there are living fossils in the Boston Public Garden and Arnold Arboretum?

Long thought to be extinct, the Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) was discovered deep in a valley in central China in the 1940s. The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University then distributed the little seeds across the world, playing a big role in the tree’s international reinstatement and conservation. The Metasequoia tree planted in the Arboretum in 1948 is one of the oldest and first of its kind to grow in North America in over two million years.

Boston Parks and Recreation Department Park Ranger Walter Evans recounts the history of the Dawn Redwood for us.

You can also learn more about the tree's history on the Arnold Arboretum website.

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