2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Sciadopitys Is a monotypic genus of trees of the Sciadopitis family. Previously, the genus was ranked among the Taxodiaceae and Cypress families, but studies have shown that there is nothing in common between sciadopitis and the families in question. The only representative of the genus is Sciadopitys verticillata. Natural habitat - mountain forests of Japan, earlier in nature sciadopitis was found in Greenland, in Yakutia, in the Urals and in Norway. The genus got its name due to the unusual whorled arrangement of the needles, which outwardly resembles the spokes of an umbrella. The name is derived from two Greek words "skias" - umbrella, "pitys" - pine.
Characteristic
Sciadopitis is an evergreen tree up to 40 m high with a slender trunk and a narrow-conical or pyramidal crown. Cultural sciadopitis reach a height of 10-20 m. The bark is rather thin, grayish-brown or gray, smooth, exfoliates in longitudinal narrow stripes with age.
Sciadopitis is notable for its unusual needles, the needles form false whorls, spread apart in different groans, like the needles of an umbrella, which is why the plant is popularly called "umbrella pine". The needles are not real leaves, they are considered to be modified shortened shoots. Real leaves are practically invisible, they are formed at the tips of branches, usually scaly, brown, up to 4 -5 mm long.
Male flowers are clustered at the ends of the shoots, female flowers are single, equipped with scaly leaves at the base. Cones are brown, obtuse, oblong-ovate, up to 10 cm long. Cones ripen 17-18 months after planting, usually do not crumble, contain winged seeds. Sciadopitis wood is fragrant, resistant to moisture, not resinous, soft, light, yellow-white in color, often with a reddish tint.
Growing conditions
Sciadopitis is a thermophilic plant, it prefers areas well warmed by the sun. Accepts partial shade. It has a negative attitude to cold winds. Soils for growing crops are desirable loose, fertile, drained, moist, fresh, slightly acidic or neutral.
Growing sciadopitis on alkaline soils is possible, but such conditions adversely affect the development of plants, they often suffer from chlorosis. Loose loamy or sandy-humus soils are optimal for the culture. Mulching is optional, but encouraged.
Reproduction
Sciadopitis is propagated by seeds, semi-lignified cuttings and air layers. Freshly harvested seeds are used for sowing. When sowing in spring, the seeds need to be stratified for three months at a temperature of 3-5C. In regions with cold winters, seeds are sown in seed boxes and grown indoors.
The culture cannot boast of a rapid growth, especially in the first years of life. As a rule, in the third year of life, the height of the plants does not exceed 30 cm. In the future, the growth process is accelerated. Often sciadopitis is propagated by air layers. Cutting is not prohibited, but this method is not always effective
Care
Standard care: watering, weeding, fertilizing with mineral and organic fertilizers. Sanitary pruning is useful, haircut is undesirable, it often leads to a violation of the typical crown of a representative of the Sciadopitis family. Young plants are tied to a support for the winter, otherwise fragile shoots will fall apart in different directions under the weight of snow. Sciadopitis is winter-hardy, without any problems it can endure short-term frosts down to -34C.
