In your zones it would be great, but, Dawn Redwood seems to be hardier in my zone 6.

Dawn Redwood observations:

Pluses:

very fast growing (though this may be a negative for some)!
Autumn leaf coloration is better than BC (in my opinion)
More tolerant of shade, compared to BC
Cultivars with golden-yellow foliage are stunning (not sure if there are equivalent BC cultivars)
Both are highly tolerant of wet soils
Easier to transplant (had issues with BC when bare-rooted, none with DR)
Finally, if I remember correctly, the DR seems to hold its foliage longer into Autumn here (into November).

Negatives:

Spring foliage is somewhat more vulnerable to extremes of temperature (premature heat, late frost)

Highly sensitive to salts

May be less tolerant of temperature extremes and drought than BC, preferring more somewhat moderate eastern zones with reliable precipitation

Requires more space than BC (my BC is near a property line and seems much more vertical, compact and less intrusive than the DR.

Some may consider it a less elegant tree than BC, others may prefer the unique appearance of DR's

The whole native/non native debate is interesting. Prehistorically, DR's were found throughout North America but in modern time became isolated to a remote valley in China. And 'native' BC's are being grown in areas well beyond their modern range. Some of the oldest and largest DR are growing in NJ (combination of introduction date and climate). Both species can thrive in NC. So, you can always do what I did...plant both!

P.S., Pic is of DR, taken some time in November. This one is the plain green variety.

This post was edited by njoasis on Sat, Jan 25, 14 at 7:26

I'd agree with NJs assessment. I'd select DR over BC for every site with the exception of droughty or very windy sites or if a more narrow formal habit is preferred. I still love BC though, its one of my top 10 trees no doubt, therefore I have both then cultivars of each.

My DR from a couple years ago.

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A lot of interesting reading about these two trees out there! Apparently, DR's thrived at polar latitudes when the world was once much more tropical. Thus, they evolved for the lower light intensity but long days of the arctic summer. No sun in winter up there, so no reason for leaves. Bald Cypress out competed Dawn Reds in North America's southeast coastal plain (Gulf Coast to Delaware) with it stronger sun and higher subtropical heat. At least that was in their genes. However, I don't really see a competitive edge of one over the other among local specimens in the modern, dinosaur-less world.

both are rather fast growing conifers ... and unless you have some acreage.. perhaps too big for the typical suburban garden ...

there are a host of dwarf versions.. including blues, yellows and variegated... and you might got some feedback on those.. in the conifer forum ... in addition to here ...

ken

Push comes to shove, I do prefer BC to DR.

I have both (three dawn redwoods in the back yard, two bald cypresses in the front).

The dawn redwoods have grown somewhat more rapidly (the tallest is now pushing 35-40 feet). In the early sapling days, it seemed as if the dawn redwoods were more susceptible to foliar damage from Japanese beetles. This was never more than a limited cosmetic problem and has not affected the trees' appearance as they've matured. The dawn redwood fall color has been a bit more attractive.

I'm fond of both.

This post was edited by eric_oh on Sat, Jan 25, 14 at 18:29

Pic taken Dec 31 of Dawn Redwood in Chester Co, Pa.
The tree is under 100' in height. It is from a distribution in 1948, I would call it a fast grower. Heavily butressed trunk. This tree needs plenty of room to grow, I agree with Donald Wyman The habit or outline of the tree is definitely pyramidal and if the lower branches are cut the silhouette is spoiled.
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pic taken Dec 31 of Bald Cypress in Chester Co, Pa.
This venerable specimen is less than 100' tall. I like the grayish bark which is fibrous and shredding but not at all coarse. Note the lack of knees for this tree.
Bald Cypress habit is variable. This tree needs plenty of room and is intolerant of shade.
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Opinions vary but I think a limbed up Metasequoia looks fine. In the Carolinas I would think either would be a good choice. In an area prone to drought I wonder about Metasequoia. My 30 footer defoliated during the record drought and heat of 2012 but came back nicely.

If I were split I would say go with Metasequoia. Familiarize yourself with its rediscovery and you'll have a horticultural conversation piece. Not to mention it may become extinct in the wild during your tree's lifetime.

Why not grow both and find out which one does best in your area?

We tried both along with Montezuma Cypress (Mexican's version of bald cypress) at mom's house in Houston. Montezuma cypress is the winner. F-A-S-T grower.

DR seems to struggle in Houston. Maybe it's just too hot?

Both are very attractive, of course. But agree w/njoasis -- BC has even finer texture & elegance -- like a flowing green cloud in the wind from a distance. Get both if you can.

Bark sure is nice on BC.

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In general, I would say that the redwood is a wider tree in silhouette than the cypress. If you have limited space the cypress would be a better choice.

The redwood has, in age, a very fluted trunk with roots that look like the are reaching out and grabbing the earth. They do not produce the knees that the cypress do.

I planted a redwood here is the Salt Lake area back in 1981. It is now about thirty feet high with a wider spread. At about the same time I planted a sugar maple about 20 feet away from the redwood. Given the same growing conditions, water etc. the maple grew but not well. The redwood took off and didn't look back. As it grew the maple had issue with chlorosis. The redwood has never shown any signs of it. We had a very hot and dry summer in the early 90's that finished off the maple. It didn't seem to bother the redwood at all.

One negative to the redwood is that it tends to self prune. It will drop small branches that need to be picked up before mowing. If it is planted in a lawn that is.

I would say that for most uses in the landscape the Bald Cypress is a better tree. It's shape and size just fits in better.

The Dawn redwood can be fabulous and their are cultivars that are more suitable for the average landscape. A grove left to grow would be awesome.

Here is a link that might be useful: Blog post that covers Bald Cypress and Dawn Redwood

THANKS so much for the feedback. Question: In general, does Dawn Redwood (not sure of its different cultivars) have a more bright green (almost lime-colored) leaf / needle compared to that of bald cypress?
The planting site I am targeting is not close to my house or any structure but there may have some light shade issues. It's actually in a light - medium wooded area but what I actually plan to do is remove some leaning & damaged trees there and beautify the area with a few specimen trees, including a BC or DR and other trees. I may do as some of you suggested and plant both a BC & DR! , in North Carolina

Yes, I would say that the typical, green DR has a brighter green color compared to BC. There are DR's with yellowish leaves, cream (to almost white hues). DR definitely more tolerant of shade though.

P.S., Come on Spring!

Info:

I planted a 2.5' tall DR from a 3-gallon pot in 2002 in Illinois black loam soil that's easily 1 meter of black loam before it hits loamy clay. In 10-years the tree was 35-40 feet tall and in 11 years (last summer) it was 45 feet tall.
Location. location, location.....

And cypress knees may be an issue to consider.

=========
Another example:
From a seed that germinated indoors (March) that I planted @ 6" appx. tall (during June I'll have to presume) being two months old only... six to eight months later that first season seedling had grown to over six feet tall.
=========

Dax

This post was edited by gardener365 on Mon, Jan 27, 14 at 9:30

This is the 45' DR; photographed fall 2013. It has now caught up with the deciduous maples in the background that have been there for decades.

Dax

I lost a Dawn Redwood during Sandy (fall 2012). It was 115 ft tall. The tree had forked at a considerable height, causing the failure.

John

Dawn Redwood - somewhat less drought tolerant than BC in my experience (despite Bald Cypress' swamp habitat in nature). However, they CAN develop knees - several specimens at the US National Arboretum in Washington, DC that are next to a pond have knees.

Bald Cypress tends to have a finer, more airy form around here.

Both are amazing trees, IMHO. Similar, but each with their own unique qualities.

Another nice Metasequoia at a park near me, this tree is perhaps 65 years old. My compliments to the groundskeepers over the years who have resisted the urge to chop away the lower branches. Notice one Metasequoia looks just like the next, and very little variability? Also, that tall, straight-as-an-arrow leader is very attractive to lightening.
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same tree, pic taken today in Maryland
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Some mentioned that having knees can be problematic with BCs but I don't see that in central Texas BCs which tend to grow along the rivers and roots are more like lava flows. Same for Montezuma cypress.

I wonder if anyone has tried collecting CTBC seeds to be planted in other states for that reason?

it finally came above two million degrees below zero...

and as i was standing on the porch.. looking 350 feet across the yard.. gazing at one of each ....

i decided.. that ... neked ... the DR was a much more interesting tree ... as compared to the neked TD ... aka BC ....

bark.. trunk shape.. branching.. etc ...

sams pix confirm such ....

ken

I too, like the Dawn Redwood over the Bald Cypress. In my case the Dawn Redwoods handle the snow and ice better. The variety Metasequoia glyptostroboides, 'Ogon' is far better than any Bald Cypress on the market in my opinion.
That said, here's a picture of my Bald Cypress at it's best, fleeting as it may be.
Mike
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Not really, the Bald Cyprees is the superior tree and I am not a NATIVIST by any means, but I still love'em both!

Before and after Sandy pictures of my Metasquoia

Here is a link that might be useful: Metasequoia - before and after Sandy

Two important things to consider when evaluating one plant versus the other...this is just my experience in WI.

BC has supeiror drought tolerance over DR.
BC +1

DR has better ressistance to late season frosts therefor DR is a better selection for fall color in northern climates. I understand the OP is in NC and this may not mean anything but it does for me!
DR +1

In summary, plant both.

NJ, not sure if you refereing to Mike's comment on cultivars or snow/ice load but 'Ogon' is certainly a stunning selection of DR. I don't know of any stunning selections of BC.

Plant somethign as simple as Rosy Glow Barberry in front of 'Ogon' and the sensory experice is amazing. Srping is obvious with the yellow and purple but in fall you get orange and red fall color between the two.

Wow, medamana's slide show really helped to show the differences to me of the two trees. Bald Cypress is well-known for resisting wind damage. I've seen thousands of them in both Louisiana and Texas, but don't remember any of them splitting. Have only seen one or two that were washed away.

Which one of these two trees most closely resembles the coastal Redwoods of California?

Scot, I dunno if I would give Metasequoia a bad rap with wind damage. Taxodium is very sturdy though.

It WAS a hurricane after all that tore up that one tree. The Louisiana Taxodiums also have to regularly deal with hurricanes. Another testament to their sturdiness but also an indication that every couple years a storm will come by and cull weak branches / encourage strong growth.

Far as which one is more Sequoia sempervirens, Coast Redwood like I vote Metasequoia. The opposite foliage looks more organized like the Sequoia S. Metasequoia in most yards also gets a fluted trunk more like the big Redwoods. If you plant it in a swamp I will change my vote on the trunk though.

Taxodium may live longer. I read claims of 1,000 year old trees. The web doesn't make many claims on Metasequoia.

Metasequoia grows like no one's business where the climate is right for it. We have 60 year old 140 foot trees in the eastern U.S. and there are plenty of 100 foot examples of the same age so if you really want to plant and watch a tree grow to 100 feet tall like a "Redwood" there is an option.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.ents-bbs.org/viewtopic.php?f=111&t=427

Both are pretty nice in the fall:

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Metasequoia near my office, Laurel, MD mid November 2013

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Row of Taxodium distichum along a local road in Columbia, MD, early Nov. 2013

Bald cypress in Overland Park, ks. Early-mid November. Pretty tough to beat

A few more

Real nice, they have more of a rusty red tone to them. I've seen this before but its not common.

You proved my point on the fall color for nothern climates. They are peaking in KS for you in mid-November (plus the other trees are nude in the area) whereas the ground is frozen here in mid-November. At best you'll see an oak clinging onto a few leaves at that time. Bald Cypress are bit like Ginkgo where they get zapped by freezes before they can develop fall color. WI observation only. DR color up earlier for me.

Whaas,
My montezuma cypress and MCxBC trees are still holding onto reddish tone right now and this winter seems to be significantly colder than usual. Typical BC are completely bald in late November. I don't even remember seeing that many hard freezes 180 miles to the north at my old house.

I'm so ready for spring to come already.

Lou, you're preaching to the wrong guy, lol. I hear what you're saying though. Factoring in the 10 day forecast, going to be 31 days below zero since December. Thats just plain silly.

From the Milwaukee paper...
Compiling weather service data since 1891, We Energies found the first three months (Nov, Dec, Jan) of the winter heating season have been the 6th coldest on record

I guess its all relative to where you live!

I tried a Bald Cypress once and it died, although zone 4 hardy listed, I did better with Dawn Redwood, but mine has got a bad growth habit, with many crossing branches and bad form. It does have an impressive trunk, but lacks a root flare. Despite no root flare it is growing fast. I can't remove much soil as there are hosta, tradescansia and another perennial I can't remember the name of. I started it as a "tree in a box" kit, on my windowsill several years ago. I tried corrective pruning to no avail. The following growth just grew here and there and replaced the wrongely placed former growth, plus some. I just gave up. I wonder if starting the tree indoors perhaps inviting un-uniform growth at first (indoors) ruined the ultimate form of the tree. I hope this is understandable. I have seen several peeps Dawn Redwoods with nice form, and mine is not as "balanced". It is just something I have wondered about. I need to prune crossing branches, where others D.R. don't have them. I think starting the plant indoors have made it have too many leaders to start with and effected the overall growth pattern. Sorry to Waa-Waa, but I wonder if anyone else has a D.R. With a less than perfect shape.

My older Metasequoia gets some crossing secondary branching. I have taken off one or two a year.

Two summers ago the heat and drought defoliated it. Now last summer I noticed maybe three or four interior branches with a few feet of verticle growth. End of the month I will prune them. Might even try to root a cutting just for kicks.

FWIW, my Ogon has not needed pruned in my eyes anyways yet.

Here's a picture of an 'Ogon' next to the species in my garden.
'Ogon' is on the left and appears to be a little brighter for Fall color at this stage.
Now If I can just get a Bald Cypress into the picture!
Mike
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My older Metasequoia gets some crossing secondary branching. I have taken off one or two a year.

Two summers ago the heat and drought defoliated it. Now last summer I noticed maybe three or four interior branches with a few feet of verticle growth. End of the month I will prune them. Might even try to root a cutting just for kicks.

FWIW, my Ogon has not needed pruned in my eyes anyways yet.

I've planted two Dawn Redwoods. One at my house ('Ogon') and a species type at my parents' house. This was the first year the 'Ogon' began making some strides w/ regard to height. The first growing year after I planted the species, it almost doubled in height; and the second growing season it did much of the same. They both responded well to the wet growing season we had. I had concerns about competing branches with my species type, but it worked itself out on its own.

The 'Ogon' is quite flimsy still and requires staking. The species type is very sturdy, growing quickly both in height and caliper.

This Bald Cypress is from the Nat'l Bonsai Collection.
Have never seen DR as a bonsai, have you?
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Love that bonsai, Sam. I've never had the patience for bonsai.

Mikebotann - your pics are always amazing. If heaven is on earth, it's somewhere SE of Seattle.

No one mentions pondcypress, T. ascendens.
(I'm a splitter, not a lumper,so I think it's a separate species).
I have all three growing here - BC, DR, and PC.
I like the form of PC better than the other two - but IME, it's much slower-growing

Here is a link that might be useful: PC vs BC

pic taken yesterday at the Dawn Redwood grove at Nat'l Arboretum. these were likely some of the first DR planted in the US.
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No room for a large DR? You might consider one like this.

How about a weeping BC? The weeping branches could mimic downward motion of a waterfall or water fountain.

lucky, pondcypress is slow? Not these after 10 seasons -- 25 ft:

'Schirrmann's Nordlicht' Dawn Redwood makes a tidy small plant. I wonder how big this one gets in time?

One of a large planting of DR at the top of hill. See that "straight as an arrow" trunk, imagine it filled with sap = VERY ATTRACTIVE TO LIGHTNING. That's what killed this one. Never known BC to be lightning struck.