Japanese Cedar

Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica, Cupressaceae) is a fast-growing conifer native to China and Japan, the sole species in its genus. It reaches 50 to 60 feet in cultivation (up to 180 feet in the wild) with a spread of about 26 feet. Awl-shaped needles spirally arranged on the branches curve inward, creating a soft, graceful texture. Bark is ornamental: red-brown, exfoliating in vertical strips on mature trees. Foliage is green to bluish in summer, turning bronzy in winter. Small terminal, globular brown cones are 1.3 to 2.5 centimeters.

Japanese cedar grows in full sun on moist, rich, deep, well-drained, acidic soil (pH 5.5 to 7.0) with moderate water needs, hardy in Zones 6b to 9b. It requires ample moisture and protection from drying winter winds. Documented diseases include Seiridium canker, Port Orford cedar root rot, leaf blight, and cedar flagging. The species is the national tree of Japan with over 200 cultivars available there. Notable selections include 'Elegans' (Plume Cedar, 3 to 6 feet, bronzy-red winter), 'Sekkan-sugi' (Golden Japanese Cedar, 25 feet), 'Rein's Dense Jade' (25 feet, dense pyramid), 'Black Dragon' (5 feet), and the very dwarf 'Koshyi.'