Platycladus orientalis (L.f.) Franco

Fully-hardy, irregular or conical evergreen tree with erect branches and branchlets, very small, scale-like leaves, which often turn bronze in winter, and upright, flask-shaped, greyish female cones, to 2cm long.  To 15m.  [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers’].

Horticultural & Botanical History

Introduced to Britain in 1752.  [JD].  ‘Thuja orientalis L. Sp. P1. 1002. 1753.  First described from Siberia.  Chi’en K’ou, No. 3.  Associated with Pinus, Juniperus, and Cotoneaster.  Very common.  A tree, up to 3 meters high, generally sprouting from old stumps.  The wood is used as fuel and for furniture, buckets, tubs, etc.’  [Contributions from the United States national Herbarium vol.28, p.595/1942].  ‘This tree is very rarely planted in central and western China and we never met with a spontaneous specimen in our travels.  It is probably a native of north-eastern China, Manchuria and Korea.’  [Plantae Wilsonianae vol.II, p.53/1916].  Flora Japonica Siebold & Zuccarini t.118/1870.

History at Camden Park

Listed only in the 1850 and 1857 catalogues [C.91/1850].

Notes

Published Aug 03, 2009 - 03:56 PM | Last updated Jul 16, 2010 - 05:13 PM


Pictured is a shoot with leaves and ripe, purple fruit + botanical details of seeds etc.  Flora Japonica t.118, 1870.

Platycladus orientalis (L.f.) Franco | Flora Japonica Siebold & Zuccarini t.118/1870 | Wikimedia Commons

More details about Platycladus orientalis (L.f.) Franco
Family Cupressaceae
Category
Region of origin

China

Synonyms
  • Thuja orientalis L.
  • Biota orientalis Endl.
  • Platycladus orientalis (L.f.) Franco
  • Thuja acuta Moench
  • Platycladus stricta Spach.
Common Name

Chinese arbor-vitae, Biota

Name in the Camden Park Record

Thuja orientalis 

Confidence level high