Japanese Cedar?

[Mac In Oak Ridge]

I ran across about 10 small trees in 2 gallon pots at a local nursery. Identified as Japanese Cedar. Mostly straight sticks about 4' tall but with very dense twigging from the ground up. Trunks about 3/4 to 1" at the soil level.

Dark green needles and the needles were about 1/4" long. The way the branching was from soil to top I would guess they must bud back from old wood quite well.

Anyone worked with them? I can see them as being developed in a multi tree planting, a forest or something like that.

 

[Ang3lfir3]

Japanese Cedar is the common name for Cryptomeria Japonica. The Japanese used to (still do i guess) make Tansu chests out of this wood.

Vic and our friend will (grouper52) both have excellent examples of Cryptomeria. From what I have learned from additonal sources is that they do in deed back bud on old wood but only in _some_ varieties.

They make Fabulous bonsai and you will find yourself truly enchanted by them as they mature. have any pics? I am personally looking for an extrememly large one to workt with but as you can imagine that search isn't coming along very fast.

 

[TheSteve]

Eric depending on your definition of large you may want to come south to Woodland and hit Tsugawa's nursery just off I-5. I bought a large one there.

Mac-
They do seem to back bud easily but... extreme bending seems to snuff branches and they can be brittle. They also seem to grow fairly slowly so patience is indeed a virtue here. They make great bonsai and I don't understand why they are so largely ignored.

 

[grouper52]

Hi Mac,

Ang3lfir3 is right. In my experience they will back bud on old wood, prolifically sometimes, but only if they are just growing robustly, say in a nursery pot or in the ground. BUT, if you try to INDUCE back budding by chopping or any other method they will just ignore you. In general I like them a lot, very versatile, robust and hardy. The foliage on some varieties is exceptionally small and tight, easily giving the illusion that you are viewing a large tree from afar. Good luck with the ones you have.