Flora of New Zealand Series

Japanese cedar

Medium to large tree. Trunk ridged or somewhat buttressed towards base. Bark reddish brown, peeling in long strips. Crown dense. Juvenile lvs 0.8-1.8-(2.2) cm long, subulate, often red in winter. Adult lvs (from coning branches) 5-15 mm long (excluding adnate, decurrent base), subulate with broad base, directed forwards, shining green; apex acute. ♂ strobili densely clustered at apices of small shoots, 2.5-5 mm long. ♀ cones 1-1.7 cm diam. when open. Bract scale apex pungent. Ovuliferous scales with c. 6 spiny processes 2-3 mm long. Seed 4-5 mm long.

N.: N. Auckland (Omahuta, Trounson Park), Wairarapa (Kiriwhakapapa); S.: Marlborough (near Kahutara R.), Westland (Mahinapua).

Japan 1957

Occasional escape from cultivation, regenerating in the vicinity of planted trees, particularly in modified forest, as well as in and around plantations.

Japanese cedar is abundant in cultivation throughout N.Z, especially in gardens, parks and domains, but also sometimes as a plantation tree. The persistently juvenile cv. 'Elegans' is the commonest form in gardens and can produce cones, but no spontaneous plants of this form have been reported.