Japanese Cedar
Cryptomeria japonica 'Rasen'
Cypress family (Cupressaceae)
Temple tree with curls
Japanese cedar is the national tree of Japan and can reach a height of over 50 meters. Due to its bow-shaped needles it is sometimes referred to in Dutch as the sickle cypress. The genus name is derived from the Greek krypto (to hide) and meris (part) and refers to its hidden reproductive parts. Alongside many temples in Japan there are huge specimens with ages estimated of between 1000 and 3000 years. Many Japanese revere these ancient trees. In the wild, however, the species is considered to be 'near threatened'.
Japanese cedar provides high quality wood for the construction industry. In the south of Japan there are vast plantations of the Japanese cedar, which in early spring give off clouds of yellow pollen inducing hay fever in many sufferers. There are many cultivated forms some of which bear mohawk-like growths.
The cultivar 'Rasen' has very strong curly needles.
Themes
The American botanist Charles Sprague Sargent (1841-1927) mentions in his book 'The Forest Flora of Japan' published in 1894 a story about this tree: a local lord, Daimyo Matsudaira Masatsuna, was too poor to give a stone lantern to the Nikko Toshogu Shrine during the funeral ritual of Shogun Leyasu Tokugawa (1543-1616, founder of the Tokugawa shogunate). Consequently he was asked to line the avenue leading to the temple with Japanese cedar in honour of Tokugawa. Over the following twenty years he planted 200,000 sugi trees. Measuring 37 km, this remains the longest avenue of trees in the world. It is now 380 years old with some 13,000 trees.
Wood is used as timber.
Fragrant; contains resin.
Details
| Description: | Conifer, giant tree with a straight trunk. |
|---|---|
| Distributions: | Only found in cultivation. |
| Year cycle: | Perennial (polycarpic evergreen) |
| Hardiness: | -4 - 5 f (hardy - very cold winter) |
| Flower color: | Green, brown |
| Notes on flowers: | Green to brown. |
| Fruit color: | Green, brown |
| Notes on fruits: | Turns from green to brown |