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Sciadoptyaceae FAMILY Near Threatened

Sciadopitys verticillata

Sciadopitys verticillata

Edibility
0/5
Medicinal
0/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitEvergreen Tree
GrowthMedium

Sciadopitys verticillata is a very cold-hardy plant[1], tolerating temperatures down to about -30°c when it is fully dormant[2]. It grows best in mild damp regions with warm humid summers[2]. Prefers a good loamy soil[1]. Grows well near water, tolerating a wet site[3]. Thrives in all conditions except limey soils[3]. It prefers a pH in the range of 4 to 6, and although it will grow at pH 7 or above it becomes chlorotic[2]. Tolerates some shade but prefers an open position in full sun[3]. Dislikes cold or violent winds[4]. A slow-growing tree when very young[1, 3]. Some trees have grown slowly but generally they are of moderate growth in Britain, often averaging 30cm a year and increasing their girth by 25mm a year[5]. This tree is one of the 'five trees of Kiso' treated as sacred in Japan[6]. A popular planted tree in Japan and to a lesser extent in Europe and the USA. A small number of cultivars with dwarfed growth, variegated foliage and/or pendulous branches has been developed but these are rarely planted[6] Like the ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), this is an ancient species that dates back to a time when dinosaurs still roamed the earth[6]. The cones ripen over a period of 2 years[7]. There are two forms of this species, one is shrub-like whilst the other is a tall-growing tree[1]. Plants should be put into their permanent positions as soon as possible in order for them to develop a good root system, plants more than 1 metre tall check badly for a number of years[2]. This species is notably resistant to honey fungus[2].

Propagation

Seed - requires 3 months cold stratification and so it can be sown in a cold frame either as soon as it is ripe in the autumn or in January[8]. Only cover the seed lightly and place the pot in a sunny position[8]. The seed can be difficult to germinate[3]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the cold frame for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer of the following year. The seedlings are very slow-growing and take about 3 years to reach 30cm tall[8] so be sure to mulch them well and perhaps give them some protection such as a tree guard made from a plastic bottle with its top and bottom removed[PFAF]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Sciadopitys+verticillata>

Pollinators

Wind

References

  1. [1]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.
  2. [2]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.
  3. [3]Conifers. — Rushforth. K. · 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.
  4. [4]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 ]).
  5. [5]Conifers in the British Isles. — Mitchell. A. F. · 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.
  6. [6]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.
  7. [7]The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers — Brickell. C. · Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. · 1990 · ISBN 0-86318-386-7 ↩︎Excellent range of photographs, some cultivation details but very little information on plant uses.
  8. [8]The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. — Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. · Athens Ga. Varsity Press · 1987 · ISBN 0942375009 ↩︎A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.
  9. [9]The Gymnosperm Database — http://www.conifers.org/index.htm ↩︎A vast amount of information on conifers and families of gymnosperms.
  10. [10]A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. — Usher. G. · 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.
  11. [11]Dictionary of Economic Plants. — Uphof. J. C. Th. · Weinheim · 1959 · ISBN - ↩︎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.
  12. [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎