This majestic conifer grows wild in Japan’s mountains, where its strong, durable timber was traditionally used to build ancient shrines and temples. Sometimes called Japanese Cedar or Cryptomeria. The first significant introduction to Britain was by Robert Fortune (1812-1880) in 1844, from seed collected in China.
Native to China and Japan, with a distinct variety in each. Var. japonica is native to Kyushu and Honshu in Japan, growing up to 400m. Var. sinensis is native to south-east China, including Fujian, Jiangxi and Zhejiang, growing from 1,000-2,500m.
Monoecious. Long-lived (1,000 years or more). Wind-pollinated, producing copious pollen (a major problem for allergic rhinitis sufferers). Seeds dispersed by birds and mammals, including Asian Black Bears and Japanese Macaques.
Tall (60m), straight, sometimes with basal burrs and lignotubers. Bark red-brown, ridged, with fibrous strings. Small (1-2cm) scale-leaves spiral around and cover the shoots, sharply pointed. Male cones tiny (3-5mm), numerous, dark red to yellow; female cones globular (2cm) at branchlet tips, green to brown, persisting 1-2 years. The Japanese variety (most common here) has level dense branches; var. sinensis has drooping, sparser branches.
Dislikes exposure, preferring well-drained soils in sheltered, warm sites. Shade-tolerant, so suits mixtures with other species. It usually establishes well and grows rapidly when young. High-prune for timber quality, as persistent lower branches cause knots. Unusually for a conifer it regenerates from old wood, so can be coppiced. It has great commercial potential in north-west Europe, mixed with Western Red Cedar, Western Hemlock, Douglas-fir and Coast Redwood.
A food plant for endemic moth species in Japan. No notable associations where introduced, but could help diversify structure of monocultures of other conifers.
Where introduced, susceptible to Phytophthora and honey fungus.
A major commercial timber in Japan, valued for its fragrant, cedar-like, durable wood. The red-brown timber works easily except where knotty; it glues, stains and finishes well but does not steam-bend. In Japan it was traditionally charred for durability and looks, a technique called ‘Yakisugi’ (or ‘shou sugi ban’). Several cultivars vary in foliage colour and form, including dwarfs.
