Menu list goes here

Herbal Database Search Results

Back to: Pathways Main Search Page For Metaphysical uses visit The Witchs Haven

Cryptomeria japonica

Common name:	Japanese Cedar	Family:	Taxodiaceae
Author:	(L.f.)D.Don.	Botanical references:	11, 200, 266
Synonyms:	Cupressus japonica (L.f.), Cryptomeria fortunei (Billain. ex Otto.&Dietr.)
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	E. Asia - China, Japan.
Habitat:	Mountains and hills in areas of higher rainfall in S. and C. Japan[58, 200]. Rarely spontaneous[58]. Forests on deep, well-drained soils subject to warm, moist conditions, 1100 - 2500 metres[266].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	0	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	1

Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Cryptomeria [H], Japanese Cedar [H,P], Japanese Cryptomeria [DEN1], Japanese-cedar [B],
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Pinales. Redwood family

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen tree growing to 20m by 8m at a fast rate. It is hardy to zone 6. It is in leaf all year, in flower from February to March, and the seeds ripen from October to March. The flowers are monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and are pollinated by Wind. We rate it 0/5 for edibility and 1/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid soil. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Canopy.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Depurative; VD.

An oil and/or a resin from the plant is depurative and also used in the treatment of gonorrhoea[218].

Other Uses

Incense; Shelterbelt; Wood.

The leaves are very aromatic and are used as incense sticks[46, 61, 272].
A fairly wind-tolerant tree, it can be used in shelterbelt plantings[200].
Wood - light, fragrant, fine grained[46, 61]. The wood is strongly rot resistant, easily worked, and is used for buildings, bridges, ships, lamp posts, furniture, utensils, and paper manufacture[1, 46, 61, 266]. The wood can be used as a substitute for Deal[146]. Old wood that has been buried in the soil turns a dark green and is then much esteemed[46, 61].

Cultivation details

Prefers a deep rich moist alluvial soil and a sheltered position in full sun[1, 11, 164]. Tolerates very acid to somewhat alkaline soils, but becomes chlorotic on shallow soils over chalk[200]. Plants are fairly wind-tolerant[200].
A very ornamental tree[1], it has been widely cultivated as a forestry tree for several centuries in Japan and there are many strains each adapted to the various local conditions[11]. Many forms, almost all of them dwarf, have also been selected for their ornamental value[185, 200].
A fast-growing tree on deep, well-drained soils in montane areas with a warm, moist climate, but intolerant of poor soils and cold, drier climates[266].
Occasionally planted for timber in Europe[50], trees do not generally do as well as could be expected in Britain, the best specimens are to be found in the west, especially in the south-west[11]. Trees can grow quite fast in the western part of the country with annual increases of 1 metre or more[185]. New growth takes place from early June to August[185]. Growth decreases rapidly with age, virtually ceasing when the tree reaches 25 metres[185].
This species is notably resistant to honey fungus[200].
Unlike most conifers, this species can be coppiced[81].

Propagation

Seed - sow early spring in a cold frame. The seed germinates better if given a short cold stratification for 2 - 3 weeks at 4°c and is then placed in a warm position[164]. Germination usually takes place within 3 - 9 weeks at 15°c[164]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. An alternative is to plant out the young trees into an outdoor nursery bed when they are about 8cm tall and grow them on for a couple of years before planting them into their permanent positions in late autumn or early spring[164].
Cuttings in the autumn in a sandy soil in a cold frame.

Cultivars

'': No entries have been made for this species as yet.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

PFAF Web Pages

This plant is mentioned in the following web pages

Web References

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
[DEN] Data _ Photos (Good Identification info) from the Virginia Tech's Dendrology Deptarments' Tree Fact Sheets.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for cryptomeria japonica (a possible synonym).

[HP] PhotoFrom Henriette's plant pictures
[HP] PhotoFrom Henriette's plant pictures
[HP] PhotoFrom Henriette's plant pictures

References for the family Taxodiaceae.

[CHINA] Data Very detailed botanical/identification info. from the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[50] ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964
An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.

[58] Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965
The standard work. Brilliant, but not for the casual reader.

[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[81] Rushforth. K. Conifers. Christopher Helm 1987 ISBN 0-7470-2801-X
Deals with conifers that can be grown outdoors in Britain. Good notes on cultivation and a few bits about plant uses.

[146] Gamble. J. S. A Manual of Indian Timbers. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh 1972
Written last century, but still a classic, giving a lot of information on the uses and habitats of Indian trees. Not for the casual reader.

[164] Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. 1990
Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. A good article on Yuccas, one on Sagebrush (Artemesia spp) and another on Chaerophyllum bulbosum.

[185] Mitchell. A. F. Conifers in the British Isles. HMSO 1975 ISBN 0-11-710012-9
A bit out of date (first published in 1972), but an excellent guide to how well the various species of conifers grow in Britain giving locations of trees.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[218] Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.

[266] Flora of China 1994
On-line version of the Flora - an excellent resource giving basic info on habitat and some uses.

Readers Comments

Back to: Pathways Home page, Main Search Page Help Bibliography

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
Blagdon Cross, Ashwater, Beaworthy, Devon, EX21 5DF, UK.
Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963

This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Cryptomeria+japonica
This page (US) http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Cryptomeria+japonica

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
(You can copy, distribute, display this works but: Attribution is required, its for Non-Commercial purposes, and it's Share Alike (GNUish/copyleft) i.e. has an identical license.)
We also ask that you let us know (michael@thewitchshaven.com) if you link to, redistribute, make a derived work or do anything groovy with this information.

Home :: View Cart :: Shipping & Returns :: Contact Us :: Log In :: Privacy Policy :: Home :: Philosophy

We make no claims of magical effects or supernatural powers for any item in this catalog. In spite of legendary attributes or occult and craft tradition, such items are offered as curios only and beliefs concerning their magical effectiveness are related only for historical interest.