Since its rediscovery in 1944, the dawn redwood has become a popular ornamental, with examples found in various parks in a variety of countries.

Given that the high latitudes in this period were warm and tropical, it is hypothesized that the deciduous trait evolved in response to the unusual light availability patterns, not to major seasonal variations in temperature.

It is also hypothesized that the change from evergreen to deciduous trait occurred before colonizing the high latitudes and was the reason Metasequoia was dominant in the north.

In the winter of the same year, a Chinese botanist Toh Gan (干铎) discovered an unusual big tree in Modaoxi (磨刀溪; presently, Moudao (谋道), in Lichuan County, Hubei).

Mr. Wang believed this tree belonged to a known species Glyptostrobus pensilis (水松) and filed the specimens away.

Mr. Cheng then sent a specimen to prominent botanist Hu Xiansu, the director of Fan Memorial Institute of Biology.

Hu, despite the chaos of war between China and Japan, was still keeping track of international botanic literature.

In 1948, the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, through the help of Hu and Cheng, funded an expedition by Chinese collectors to collect seeds.

Presently, a number of natural Metasequoia populations exist in the hills and wetlands of Hubei's Lichuan County.

[citation needed] Although they live in wet sites in their native habitat they will also tolerate dry soils.

Strawberry Fields is a landscaped section in New York City's Central Park dedicated to Beatle John Lennon.