Oriental cedar
Platycladus orientalis

Family: Cupressaceae

What it is like

A small tree. It grows 9-15 m high and spreads 3-4.5 m wide. It has an irregular rounded crown. The bark is fibrous. The leaves are pale green and do not have a scent. Leaves turn bronze in the winter. They grow in vertical flattened sprays. Scale like leaves are 1-2 mm long with resin glands and sword shaped leaves are 4-5 mm long. The twigs are flattened and leaf covered. The cones are egg shaped and covered with a bloom. They are 7-12 mm long and upright. There are 4-5 pairs of thick fleshy scales. They ripen to brown. The seeds do not have wings.

There is only one species of Platycladus. This one has been included in Thuja in the past.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It is frost hardy. It grows in swampy areas on limestone rocks. It cannot stand stagnant water around its roots. It can also grow on dry shallow soils. It can tolerate salt spray. In Hobart Botanical gardens. National Arboretum Canberra. It suits plant hardiness zone 7.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Albania, Asia, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Canada, China (country/location of origin), Czech Republic, East Africa, Hungary, India, Indochina, Iran, Japan, Korea, Manchuria, Marquesas, Mauritius, Middle East, Mongolia, Mozambique, North America, Reunion, Romania, Russia, SE Asia, Spain, Tajikistan, Tasmania, USA, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yugoslavia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

It is sold in local markets in China. It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Seeds, leaves - tea

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed or stem cuttings.

It is slow growing.

Its other names

Local names

Biota, Book-leaf Pine, Chinese Arbor-Vitae, Ko-no-tegashiwa, Mayuroankh, Morepankhi, Oriental Arborvitae, Pian bai, Trac-ba

Synonyms

Biota orientalis (L.) Endl.; Thuja orientalis L.; and others