The McCrillis Gardens in Bethesda, Maryland, along with the Brookside Gardens, show that the Washington, D.C. metro area is capable of growing very strong Metasequoia trees. Donated by the McCrillis family in 1978, the garden is managed by Brookside Gardens and is located in Bethesda, Maryland. Specializing in shade, ornamentals, and shrubs, McCrillis is also home to the Montgomery Parks Foundation.

The McCrillis shows that Metasequoias are grow nearly as well in the D.C. area as they do in the Delaware Valley. The D.C. metro area is unique because it is the merging place of three different ecosystems: the Eastern broadleaf oceanic forest, the Outer coastal plain region, and the Southern mixed forest. This indicates that it is a particularly temperate area. Brookside is on the border between Hardiness Zones 6 and 7. Winds and precipitation are average, and the dominant soil types are Inceptisols and Ultisols.



The tree at McCrillis is interesting because it was planted 26 years before the garden was formalized and made public! The Brooklyn Botanic Garden sent a seed to an individual in the DC metro area, who then donated it to the McCrillis Gardens, was planted in 1952. Currently, the tree is the largest Meta in the D.C. metro area. At 115 feet tall with a base 36 inches in diameter, it is likely the largest Metasequoia in between the Winterthur Gardens and the Stanley Rowe Arboretum.

The Gardens in Montgomery County, Maryland exhibit the fact that Metasequoias are capable of growing very well in the Washington, D.C. climate. While they clearly grow better in the Delaware Valley region, these two gardens are absolutely worth checking out if you are looking for nice Metasequoias in this area.

McCrillis Gardens

6910 Greentree Road

Bethesda, MD 20817

http://www.mc-mncppc.org/parks/brookside/mccrilli.shtm

Data courtesy the McCrillis Gardens

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