What conifers in North America lose their leaves in fall?
Conifers are plants whose seeds are stored in cones and that usually retain their leaves year around. There are three conifers in North America that shed their leaves in the fall: the bald cypress tree (Taxodium distichum), the tamarack tree (Larix larcina), and the dawn redwood tree (Metasequoia glyptostroboides). The bald cypress and the tamarack are the only deciduous (trees that lose leaves) conifers that are native to North America. The dawn redwood, once believed to be extinct, was discovered growing in southwest China in 1941. Shortly thereafter, it was imported to the United States, where seeds were distributed to experimental growers by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The dawn redwood tree is now found all over the United States, growing in moist soil and on riverbanks. The leaves of the dawn redwood are…
