Everything about Cryptomeria totally explained
» For the computer science cipher, see Cryptomeria cipher:For the
Battle Royale character, see
Hiroki Sugimura
Cryptomeria is a
genus of
conifer in the
cypress family
Cupressaceae formerly belonging to the family
Taxodiaceae; it includes only one
species,
Cryptomeria japonica (
syn.:
Cupressus japonica L.f.) . It is
endemic to
Japan, where it's known as
Sugi (
Japanese: 杉). The tree is often called
Japanese Cedar in English, though the tree isn't related to the
cedars (
Cedrus).
Description
It is a very large
evergreen tree, reaching up to 70 m (230 ft) tall and 4 m (12 ft) trunk diameter, with red-brown bark which peels in vertical strips. The
leaves are arranged spirally, needle-like, 0.5–1 cm long; and the
seed cones globular, 1–2 cm diameter with about 20–40 scales. It is superficially similar to the related
Giant Sequoia (
Sequoiadendron giganteum), from which it can be differentiated by the longer leaves (under 0.5 cm in the Giant Sequoia) and smaller cones (4–6 cm in the Giant Sequoia), and the harder bark on the trunk (thick, soft and spongy in Giant Sequoia).
Sugi (and
Hinoki)
pollen is a major cause of
hayfever in Japan.
Sugi has been so long-cultivated in
China that it's thought by some to be native there. Forms selected for ornament and timber production long ago in China have been described as a distinct variety
Cryptomeria japonica var.
sinensis (or even a distinct species,
Cryptomeria fortunei), but they don't differ from the full range of variation found in the wild in Japan, and there's no definite evidence the species ever occurred wild in China.
Symbolism and uses
Sugi is the national tree of
Japan, commonly planted around
temples and
shrines, with many hugely impressive trees planted centuries ago. Sargent (1894;
The Forest Flora of Japan) recorded the instance of a
daimyo (feudal lord) who was too poor to donate a stone lantern at the funeral of the
Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543–1616) at
Nikkō Tōshō-gū, but requested instead to be allowed to plant an avenue of Sugi, "that future visitors might be protected from the heat of the sun". The offer was accepted; the avenue, which still exists, is over 65 km (40 miles) long, and "has not its equal in stately grandeur".
It is also extensively used in
forestry plantations in Japan and China, and is widely cultivated as an ornamental tree in other temperate areas, including
Britain,
Europe, and
North America.
One very popular ornamental form is the
cultivar "Elegans", which is notable for retaining juvenile foliage throughout its life, instead of developing normal adult foliage when one year old. The right hand specimen in the box photo is of this cultivar. It makes a small,
shrubby tree 5–10m tall.
The
wood is scented, reddish-pink in colour, lightweight but strong, waterproof and resistant to decay. It is favoured in Japan for all types of construction work as well as interior
panelling, etc.
Cryptomeria is used as a food plant by the
larvae of some
moths of the genus
Endoclita including
E. auratus,
E. punctimargo and
E. undulifer.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Cryptomeria'.
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