Cupressus duclouxiana

Cupressus duclouxiana (07/12/2015, Kew Gardens, London)

Position: Full sun to light shade

Flowering period: Spring

Soil: Moist, well drained

Eventual Height: 25m

Eventual Spread: 6m

Hardiness: 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b

Family: Cupressaceae

Cupressus duclouxiana is an upright evergreen conifer tree with a conical to ovoid habit. Its blue/ green leaves are scales, up to 2mm long and grows in dense sprays. Its trunk may achieve a diameter of up to 80cm. Its grey/ brown bark is flaky and peels off in vertical strips. Its yellow monoecious male flowers are in the form of pollen cones, terminal, up to 5mm long. Its purple/ brown fruit cones are globose and up to 32mm across.

Cupressus duclouxiana Leaf (07/12/2015, Kew Gardens, London)

Cupressus duclouxiana, commonly known as Chinese Cypress or Yunnan Cypress, is native to south central China. In its native habitat it grows in mixed mountain forests in river gorges.

The etymological root of the binomial name Cupressus is derived from the old Latin name for ‘Italian cypress’. Arizonica is derived from the Latin meaning ‘from Arizona’. Duclouxiana is named after Ducloux François (1864-1945), a French missionary who collected plants in China.

Cupressus duclouxiana Bark (07/12/2015, Kew Gardens, London)

The landscape architect may find Cupressus duclouxiana useful as an upright conifer tree with attractive foliage.

Ecologically, Cupressus duclouxiana is of little wildlife benefit in the UK.

Cupressus duclouxiana prefers moist, fertile, well-drained soils. It tolerates most pH of soil.

Cupressus duclouxiana requires little maintenance.



Landscape Architecture

Callitris rhomboidea

Callitris rhomboidea (08/11/2015, Kew Gardens, London)

Position: Full sun to light shade

Flowering period: Spring

Soil: Moist, well drained

Eventual Height: 15m

Eventual Spread: 5m

Hardiness: 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11

Family: Cupressaceae

Callitris rhomboidea is a fast growing tree with an upright habit. Its light green/ glaucus leaves are up to 3mm long and appear as slender prays. Its trunk may achieve a diameter of up to 40cm. This tree is monoecious with its flowers appear at the tips of fruiting branches. Its fruit is a globose cone and up to 2cm across.

Callitris rhomboidea Leaf (08/11/2015, Kew Gardens, London)

Callitris rhomboidea, commonly known as Oyster Bay Pine, Port Jackson Pine or Tasmania Cypress Pine, is native to south east Australia. In its native habitat it grows in open woodland.

The etymological root of the binomial name Callitris is derived from the Greek kali meaning ‘beautiful’ and treis meaning ‘three’. Rhomboidea is derived from the Latin rhombi meaning ‘turbot (the fish)’, which is rhombus shaped.

Callitris rhomboidea Fruit (08/11/2015, Kew Gardens, London)

The landscape architect may find Callitris rhomboidea useful as an attractive upright conifer suitable for poor soils.

Ecologically, Callitris rhomboidea is of little value in the UK.

Callitris rhomboidea prefers moist, fertile, well-drained soils. It tolerates most pH of soil. It is tolerant of poor soils.

Callitris rhomboidea requires little maintenance.



Landscape Architecture

Chamaecyparis obtusa

Chamaecyparis obtusa (04/04/2015, Kyoto Botanical Garden, Kyoto, Japan)

Position: Full sun to partial shade

Flowering period: Spring

Soil: Well drained, moist

Eventual Height: 35m

Eventual Spread: 8m

Hardiness: 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a

Family: Cupressaceae

Chamaecyparis obtusa is a slow growing evergreen tree with an upright habit. Its dark green adult leaves are scale like, up to 4mm long and arranged in flat sprays. Its trunk may achieve a diameter of 1.8m. The bark is reddish/ purplish and peels off in fibrous, vertical strips. This tree is monoecious and flowers in spring, the male flowers are red/ brown. The female cones are initially yellow/ green, maturing to brown, are up to 12mm across.

Chamaecyparis obtusa Leaf (04/04/2015, Kyoto Botanical Garden, Kyoto, Japan)

Chamaecyparis obtusa, commonly known as Japanese Cypress or Hinoki False Cypress, is native to Japan. Its should be noted the pollen of this tree is known to cause hay fever. This tree is one of the ‘Five Sacred Trees of Kiso’ in Japan.

The etymological root of the binomial name Chamaecyparis is derived from the Greek chamea ‘dwarf’ and  kupeiros the ancient Greek name for the Cypress (ironically this is not a dwarf tree). Obtusa is derived from the Latin obtusum meaning ‘blunt’.

The landscape architect may find Chamaecyparis obtusa useful as an attractive evergreen specimen tree. It may also be planted and maintained as an effective evergreen hedge. This tree prefers a humid environment.

Ecologically Chamaecyparis obtusa is of little value to wildlife in the UK.

The Royal Horticultural Society has given many varieties of the Chamaecyparis obtusa cultivars their prestigious Award of Garden Merit.

Chamaecyparis obtusa Bark (04/04/2015, Kyoto Botanical Garden, Kyoto, Japan)

Chamaecyparis obtusa prefers moist, well-drained soils. It will tolerate most pH of soil.

Chamaecyparis obtusa requires little maintenance. This tree is very tolerant of pruning. Pruning should be carried out during the summer months, pruning should be restricted to the soft green growth and cutting the brown barked stems should be avoided.