Metasequoia glyptostroboides Dawn Redwood seeds, any advice?

I just stumbled across the amazing Dawn Redwood online and it should be ideal in our area. I thought it would be fun to try growing from seeds and have read up on it and know about cold stratification etc. I ordered 25 seeds and was thinking of splitting them between just planting outdoors now in the fall in various areas around our property and doing the other half indoors in the refrigerator as most seem to advise.

Anyone try these from seeds or have some sage wisdom to pass along I'd be much obliged.

 

Just be sure to mark where you plant the seeds so you don't mow them in the Spring! ;-) Also keep mind that you will have an obscene amount of distance between them and anything else in your yard. If you don't, you *will* regret it when they get into the 1 M diameter range. ;-)

 

How are yours coming along?

I've found seeds for these are extremely variable in germination percentage. Go with a reputable seed source.

The one that has worked for me is http://www.treeshrubseed.com/catalog.asp?genus=m . Maybe 1 out of every ebay seed I ordered germinated.

 

I followed every guide I could find and started some indoors and some outdoors. Of about 100 seeds I got 3 to germinate indoors and 1 to grow to about 6 inches whereupon it died when I tried to harden it off outdoors.

I ended up buying a 3 footer at Canadian tire! :)