Sciadopitys verticillata |
Native Region: Japan
Zone Range: 6-9
Preferred Climate: Full to semi sun; well draining humus rich to mineral based acidic soil
Harvest Date: Friday 15 October, 2010
Seed count: 12-15
Description:
This highly prized ornamental conifer is one of the five sacred trees from Japan’s Kiso forest. Its extremely thick green luxuriant needles arranged in great whorls along the twigs and smaller branches and lovely craggy orange brown bark made me stop and admire this tree. Its unlike any other conifer I’ve encountered and had to admire the slightly twisted multi-branched form is very graceful and despite the notable storm that howled through in December 2006 that took out many trees in the Pacific Northwest, this tree survived unscathed whilst neighbouring Atlas cedars had branches ripped off cleanly at the trunk in great vertical sheets.
Notes:
Seed won't be available until fall 2012. New cones are forming.
Cultivation:
Our first success in 2007. Soak seed in a small quantity of water for 12-24 hours. Place seed in a resealable baggie with moist medium of fine bark mulch or chopped pine needles. Cold stratify 3 months. Once cold stratification period is over, begin warm stratification cycle at 20-25C. Seed will expand and split as the embryo awakens. Transplant into deep pots filled with well draining medium and include some of the bark mulch used in the stratification process. Continue to grow at 15-20C and provide bright indirect light. Protect from slugs in the first year...once true needles form and the seedling is a couple of inches tall, its almost bullet proof. NEVER let the seed dry out once you've started the germination cycle.
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