Metasequoia glyptostroboides 'Golden Guusje' is a vigorous, deciduous tree form of dawn redwood with an upright narrow crown and dark, peeling bark. Spring and summer foliage color is deep gold, and performs better in full sun if provided with adequate moisture. For this reason, many consider 'Golden Guusje' to be an upgrade to the older, well-known cultivar, M. glyptostroides 'Ogon'. After 10 years of growth, a mature specimen will measure 14 feet (4 m) tall and 7 feet (2 m) wide, an annual growth rate exceeding 12 inches (30 cm).
This cultivar originated as a seedling selected in 2000 by Nelis Kools Nursery of Deurne, The Netherlands. The cultivar name honors his daughter, Guusje. It is seen marketed and described in the USA under the commercial name 'Kool's Gold', a name coined by a third party in an attempt to make the plant more marketable. Given the rules of botanical nomenclature, this name should never be accepted as a valid cultivar name.
