Glyptostrobus pensilis

Plant Characteristics

Habit		tree
Height:	⇕	80 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 80.
Width:	⇔	20 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 20.
Lifespan:	⌛	perennial

Cultivation

Exposure:	☼	sun
USDA Zones:		8.5 to 11.5

Scientific Names

Cupressaceae >

Glyptostrobus >

pensilis >

Glyptostrobus, is a small genus of Cupressaceae family conifers. The sole living species, Glyptostrobus pensilis, is native to subtropical southeastern China, from Fujian west to southeast Yunnan, and also very locally in northern Vietnam.

G. pensilis is a medium-sized to large tree, reaching 30 m ft tall and with a trunk diameter of up to 1 m ft , possibly more. The leaves are deciduous, spirally arranged but twisted at the base to lie in two horizontal ranks, 5 - 20 mm long and 1 - 2 mm broad, but 2 - 3 mm long and scale-like on shoots in the upper crown. The cones are green maturing yellow-brown, pear-shaped, 2 - 3 cm long and 1 - 1.5 cm diameter, broadest near the apex. They open when mature to release the small, 5 - 20 mm long, winged seeds.

It typically grows in river banks, ponds and swamps, growing in water up to 60 cm in deep. Like the related genus Taxodium, it produces 'cypress knees' when growing in water, thought to help transport oxygen to the roots.

The species is nearly extinct in the wild due to overcutting for its valuable decay-resistant, scented wood, but it is also fairly widely planted along the banks of rice paddies where its roots help to stabilise the banks by reducing soil erosion.

Gallery

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External links

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