Chinafir
 

Mature Size, Growth, Longevity

Average mature size of 30-75' tall and 10-30' wide in landscapes, up to 150' tall in wild. Pyramidal with slightly pendulous branches. Slow to medium growth rate.

Native Range

Central and southern China. Introduced 1804.

Flower and Fruit Details

Flowers are monoecious, male flowers in terminal clusters, female flowers terminal. Fruits in globule-ovoid cones, 1.5" broad, usually several together, rarely solitary.

Leaf and Bark Features

Evergreen: Needles are green or glaucous green, evergreen, spirally arranged, those on the main axis standing out from all around the stem, those underneath turned upwards; persisting 5+ years alive, then dead but attached on the branches for several years more. Needles discolor in cold weather, more or less bronze-green. Bark is brown, scaling off in long irregular strips, exposing the reddish inner bark.

Culture and Care

Prefers moist, acid, well-drained soils. Not very hardy. Grows best in open spaces shaded by trees and protected from windswept sites. Zones (6)7-9. No serious disease or insect problems.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Other Facts

Highly prized tree in China and, next to bamboo, is the most useful for all-around work. The wood is very rot resistant in contact with the soil.

Taxa and Plants of this Species at BCA