By: Sean Guay
Mount Joy, Pennsylvania – A beautiful dawn redwood tree on Main Street is the talk of town as a photograph of it has recently been circulating on social media.
Larry Hoover snapped a photo the tree at Angle Street this week. He explained his fondness of tree, calling it one of his favorite in town. Dozens of neighbors agreed about the beauty and grand stature of the tree. Several people mentioned the perfect shape of the tree.
Wendy Ōber said, “That’s my daughter favorite tree.”
Kelly Shaffer Fuddy said, “Yes! I marvel at this tree every time I pass it.”
Melinda Shearer commented, “We were just talking about it yesterday and how big it is.”
Peggy Winters Harry knew the history of the tree first hand, mentioning, “Tina Fulton Hardy, tell Vonnie and Walt their tree is famous.”
The owner of the tree, Shawn Erb, explained that his father planted the tree 44 years ago, and he insists that the tree will never be cut down during his lifetime. He said the tree was trimmed and shaped five years ago.
Mr. Erb wrote, “I am the owner of that property. That tree is a Dawn Redwood, that my Dad planted as a twig back in 1979. So that tree is 44 years old. My mom had the tree trimmers shape the tree maybe about 5-6 years ago. The tree is not getting cut down at least as long as I am alive. Also I think the cool thing about it is when you are at cvs in Mount Joy headed towards Elizabethtown you can see it. It really is a tall tree.”
Metasequoia, or dawn redwood, is a genus of fast-growing coniferous trees, one of three species of conifers known as redwoods. The living species Metasequoia glyptostroboides is native to Lichuan county in Hubei province, China. Although the shortest of the redwoods, it grows to at least 165 feet in height.
Harrisburg100 