Cycads and Conifers
A division of the Camden Park catalogues that is clearly defined and well understood.
Pseudotsuga taxifolia Britton
Very large, densely branched evergreen conifer, the lower branches of mature trees often resting on the ground, bark thick, corky and fissured, cones pendulous, to 10cm long. To 80m or more. A very important source of timber. [RHSD, Hortus].
Saxegothaea conspicua Lindl.
Fully-hardy, slender, conical evergreen tree or shrub, bushy in cold areas, with whorled branches bearing lance-shaped leaves, to 3cm long, barred silver beneath, and terminal, fleshy, spherical, prickly, grey-green female cones, to 1.5cm across, in autumn. To 20m. [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers’].
Sequoia sempervirens Endl.
Fully-hardy, evergreen, columnar or conical tree with horizontal or down curved branches, fissured, reddish bark, 2-ranked, linear leaves, silvery beneath, and spherical to cylindrical female cones, to 3cm long, ripening in their first season. To 112m. [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers’].
Sequoiadendron giganteum (Lindl.) J.Buchholz
Large tree with deeply furrowed, reddish-brown bark, the leaves awl-shaped, bright green and spirally-arranged, of conical habit when young, the branches more widely spaced and down-swept when mature. To 90m or more. [RHSD, Hortus, Hilliers’].
Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich.
Fully-hardy, deciduous, conical tree, becoming columnar and ragged with age, with alternate, narrowly lance-shaped leaves, to 2cm long, turning red-brown in autumn, and green female cones, to 3cm across. To 40m. [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers’].
Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich. var. nutans (Ait.) Endl.
An upright tree with the trunk expanded at the base, a conical to columnar crown, and short- triangular branches. The variety nutans is deciduous, the shoots strongly erect at first, then with pendulous tips. See also see Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich. [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers’].
Taxodium mucronatum Ten.
Taxodium mucronatum is very similar to Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich., which see, but its leaves are semi-persistent in warm areas. To 45m. [RHSD, Hortus, Hilliers’].
Taxus baccata L.
Fully-hardy, broadly conical evergreen tree with spreading, horizontal branches, purple-brown bark, linear dark green, 2-ranked leaves, to 3cm long, and red fruit, to 1cm across. To 20m. [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers’].
Taxus baccata L. var. adpressa
See Taxus baccata L. for a description of the species. Adpressa is an evergreen shrub or small tree, a female clone of dense, spreading habit, with ascending branches, short, crowded branchlets, and wide, pointed leaves, to 1.5cm long. To 6m.
Thuja occidentalis L.
Fully-hardy, rounded, conical evergreen tree, with horizontally spreading branches, up-curved at the tips, shredding orange-brown bark, ovate, yellowish leaves, and ovoid female cones, to 1cm long. To 20m. [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers’].
Tsuga dumosa Eich.
Frost-tender large shrub or tree with gracefully drooping branches, tapering leaves, to 3cm, marked with 2 vivid silvery-white bands beneath, and ovoid cones, to 2.5cm. To 20m. [RHSD, Hortus, Hilliers’].
Widdringtonia juniperoides Endl.
Frost-tender, graceful evergreen tree with sprays of linear, greyish juvenile leaves, to 2cm long and soft to the touch. Adult leaves are scale like, pressed to the stem. To 18m. [RHSD, Hortus, Hilliers’].
Widdringtonia nodiflora (L.) Powrie
Shrub or small tree with brown to grey bark, spirally-arranged, needle-like juvenile leaves and scale-like, dark green adult leaves. To 6m, occasionally larger. [www.conifers.org].
