Chamaecyparis obtusa (Cultivated)

Chamaecyparis obtusa (Siebold & Zucc.) Endl., Syn. Conif. 63 1847. (Syn: Chamaecyparis acuta Beissn. ……………………….);

Chamaecyparis obtusa (Japanese cypress, hinoki cypress or hinoki; Japanese: 檜 or 桧, hinoki) is a species of cypress native to central Japan.^[2]^[3]

It is a slow-growing tree which grows to 35 m tall with a trunk up to 1 m in diameter. The bark is dark red-brown. The leaves are scale-like, 2-4 mm long, blunt tipped (obtuse), green above, and green below with a white stomatal band at the base of each scale-leaf. The cones are globose, 8-12 mm diameter, with 8-12 scales arranged in opposite pairs. The related Chamaecyparis pisifera (Sawara Cypress) can be readily distinguished in its having pointed tips to the leaves and smaller cones.^[2]^[3]

A similar cypress found on Taiwan is treated by different botanists as either a variety of this species (as Chamaecyparis obtusa var. formosana) or as a separate species Chamaecyparis taiwanensis; it differs in having smaller cones (6-9 mm diameter) with smaller scales, and leaves with a more acute apex.^[2]^[3]

It is grown for its very high quality timber in Japan, where it is used as a material for building palaces, temples, shrines, traditional noh theatres, baths, table tennis blades and masu. The wood is lemon-scented, light pinkish-brown, with a rich, straight grain, and is highly rot-resistant.

(From Wikipedia on 8.12.13)

Gymnosperms Fortnight: Cupressaceae-Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Nana lutea’ from California-GS-7 : Attachments (2). 1 post by 1 author.

Chamaecyparis obtusa (Siebold & Zuccarini) Endlicher ‘Nana Lutea’

A dwarf cultivar with golden yellow leaves when young; branches flattened and frondlike, drooping; leaves unequal, obtuse; cones about 2 cm in diameter.

Photographed from Sunnyvale, California.