Keteleeria fortunei
Keteleeria fortunei
Safety & Hazards
None known
Cultivation Details
Keteleeria fortunei occurs in the humid, warm temperate to subtropical zone of southern China, where it is found at elevations from 380 - 1,200 metres. The mean annual precipitation is between 1,300 - 2,000mm[1]. Plants are not very cold-hardy, being able to tolerate short periods with temperatures down to around -5 to -10°c when fully dormant. They grow best in areas with hot summers - in cooler regions the new growth does not fully ripen and is then more susceptible to damage by winter cold[2].
Propagation
Seed - sow in a sandy soil in a warm greenhouse in the spring[3]. 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. Consider giving the plants some protection from winter cold for their first two winters outdoors. Cuttings of leading shoots from coppiced plants, summer in a frame[4]. Easy[1]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Keteleeria+fortunei>
Pollinators
Wind
References
- [1]IUCN Red List of Threatened Species — http://www.iucnredlist.org/ ↩︎A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
- [2]Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. — Bean. W. · Murray · 1981 · ISBN - ↩︎A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
- [3]RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 — F. Chittendon. · Oxford University Press · 1951 · ISBN - ↩︎Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [ 200 ]).
- [4]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · 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.
- [5]Flora of China — Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. · 1994 · http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ ↩︎An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.