The Dawn redwood Tree
NEWS FLASH
Under the new proposals for an extension to Sainsbury's store the present Dawn Redwood trees have been removed and will be replaced with trees of a similar species. The new trees will be relocated to the ground at the South end of the store. Expert advice was taken on the possibility of relocating the trees but it was found not to be in the best interests of the tree.
I was fortunate enough to obtain parts of one of the tree trunks and cut some cross sections to examine the tree rings. If you click on the thumbnails you will be able to determine that there are 30 rings, indicating that it was 30 years old. The first ring, next to the bark, would be 2009 and then count inwards to 1993 when the trees were planted. It does show that the tree in its earlier days, showing wide growth rings, enjoyed a much better environment than its latter days. Sainsbury's purchased the 14 yr old trees in root ball form from Germany and were planted in time for the stores summer opening in 1993.
The modern day carvings of the carboniferous tree stems and leaves, at the original entrance, has been carefully removed and will be relocated onto an external wall at the North end of the store. There is also anticipated to have an information board describing the history of Craigleith Quarry.
During the alterations APRIL TO OCTOBER 2010 Sainsbury's is still open for business.
The above information added 30th May 2010
History of the Dawn Redwood
Until 1941 the Dawn Redwood was known to scientists only from its fossilised remains and was believed to be extinct. Chinese botanists found more than 100 large specimens growing in Hupeh province and seed has been collected and distributed to various institutes interested in propagating the trees.
It was discovered that the Dawn Redwood can easily be reproduced by cuttings and it is now widely planted in Britain although does not grow so well in Scotland's climatic conditions.
The historical importance of the former Craigleith Quarry was brought to the attention of Sainsbury's in 1992, when they purchased part of the Quarry site, by the Lothian and Borders RIGS Group, and Sainsbury's incorporated into their development the following:-
- Planted 10 Dawn Redwood trees along the front of the store.
- Modern day carvings of carboniferous tree stems and leaves at the entrance to the store by Rienhard Behrens (artist)
- Commissioning James Ritchie, Sculptor to produce the stone alphabet located on the curved wall at the entrance to the retail park from Craigleith Road.
- Geological Trail at the back of the store.
- Leaflet on Craigleith Quarry.
The story is told that Sainsbury's acquired 10 Dawn Redwoods(Metasequoia glyptrotroboides) in "root ball form" from Germany and planted them along the front of the store, commemorating the finding of several fossil trees Pitys withamii) 290 million years old in the quarried stone between 1835 and 1865.
The ten Dawn Redwood trees are well protected by iron rails and surrounded at the base with iron gratings to allow the trees to obtain water, considering their location, and compared to the Dawn Redwoods in the Botanic fossil garden they are doing well.
Close up of the leaf of the Dawn Redwood