Cupressus funebris
| Cupressus funebris | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 8 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 82' |
| Blooms: | Mid Spring-Late Spring |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Medicinal Rating: | |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Cupressus funebris (common name: chinese weeping cypress)
Propagation: Seed - sow late winter in a cold frame and only just cover the seed[1]. Three weeks cold stratification can improve germination rates[1]. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 2 months at 20°c. The seedlings are very subject to damping off so should be watered with care and kept well-ventilated[2]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. The seed can store for several years[2].
Cuttings of almost ripe wood, September in a frost-proof frame[3]. April/May is the best time to take cuttings[2].
Cultivation: Thrives in a well-drained loamy or peaty soil[4]. Very tolerant of hot dry conditions[5]. Tolerates poor sandy soils[5] but is then more subject to insect damage in a succession of dry seasons[4]. Requires a sunny position[5]. Prefers a pH of 6 or lower[6].
Somewhat tender in Britain, at least in the north of the country[5], it also seems to be short-lived[7]. Plants do not succeed at Kew[4].
Cultivated as a timber crop in China[8].
Cones can remain closed on the tree for a number of years, opening after the heat of a forest fire to scatter their seeds which then germinate and grow rapidly in the ashes of the fire[6].
Plants are subject to injury by the wind[4][5].
Trees are notably susceptible to honey fungus[6].
The crushed foliage has the scent of grass[7].
Range: E. Asia - China.
Habitat: Forms woods on mountain slopes and ravines, especially in limestone areas, from sea level to 1100 metres[9].
Medicinal: The leaf is antiperiodic[10]. It is used in the treatment of bleeding piles, excessive menstrual flow etc[10].
A decoction of fruiting branches is used in the treatment of colds[10].
Usage: Wood - hard, tough, white, durable, close grained. Used for general construction, agricultural implements etc[8][9].
Pollinators: Wind
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Monoecious
Also Known As: Chamaecyparis funebris. (Endl.)Franco.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Bird, Alfred. Growing from Seed Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan, 1990.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Dirr, Michael and Charles Heuser. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press, 1987.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Rushforth, Keith. Conifers. Batsford, 1991.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Mitchell, Alan. Conifers in the British Isles. Stationery Office Books, 1975.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Wilson, Ernest and Charles Sargent. Plantae Wilsonianae.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Duke, James and Edward Ayensu. Medicinal Plants of China. Reference Publications, 1985.