Cryptomeria japonica
Common name:
Japanese Cedar
Pronunciation:
krip-tow-ME-ri-a ja-PON-i-ka
Family:
Taxodiaceae
Genus:
Synonyms:
Cupressus japonica
Type:
Conifer
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon:
No
- Conifer (but not a true cedar), evergreen tree, 50-60 ft (15-18 m), 180 ft (55 m) in the wild, narrow, pyramidal or conical, stout trunk, erect, wide-spreading branches. Awl-shaped needles spirally arranged, 4 angled, 6-20 mm long, curved inward, green to bluish in summer, bronzy hue in winter, persisting 4-5 years. Cones are terminal, globular, 1.3-2.5 cm wide, dark brown.
- Sun or partial shade. Easy to grow. Prefers rich, deep, light, well-drained, acid soil with ample moisture. Shelter from high winds.
- Hardy to USDA Zone (5)6 Native to China and Japan. A very important forestry tree in its habitat.
- Many cultivars have been developed from the species, some 200 are available in Japan, many of which are not in the commercial trade in the U.S. Many of the cultivars are of reduced size (e.g., dwarf) of various forms, other characteristics include twisted or fascieated branches, folage that is soft and/or variegated, large outspread needles (Krüssmann, 1985).
- A few cultivars:
- 'Black Dargon' - small tree, wide pyramid, dense, dark green foliage
- 'Elegans’, Plume Cedar - popular selection, shrub/tree, juvenile foliage, brownish red in winter
- 'Kilmacurragh' - dwarf, mounding, juvenile green foliage
- 'Koshyi' - very dward, flat spreading
- 'Rein's Dense Jade' - soft needles, upright branches, dense narrow pyramidal tree.
- 'Ryoko-gyoku' - dwaraf, tight rounded form
- 'Sekkan-Sugi' - tree, yellow leaves at tips
- A large tree in the alley off of VanBuren Ave. between 30th and 31st streets
Click image to enlarge
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plant habit
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grove
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branchlets and immature cones
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branchlets with male cones
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needles and cones
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branchlets with mature cones
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trunk, bark
