Chinese Hemlock

Growth habit

Tree

Perennation

Long-lived polycarpic perennial

Native distribution

China

Location

Comstock Knoll and Rhododendron Collection

Source of plant

Morris Arboretum

Description

Trees to 50m tall; trunk to 1.6m dbh.; bark dark gray, longitudinally fissured, flaking; crown pyramidal; branchlets brown-yellow or grayish yellow initially, turning grayish yellow, gray, or brownish gray in 2nd or 3rd year, slender, pubescent; winter bud scales appressed or keeled at base of branchlets. Leaves pectinately arranged, linear, 1.2-2.7cm — 2-3mm, abaxial stomatal bands grayish green, margin entire, apex obtuse, entire or emarginate. Seed cones light green, maturing pale gray-yellow or pale brown, ovoid-globose to cylindric or obovoid-oblong, 1.5-4 — 1.2-2.5cm. Seed scales at middle of cones densely arranged, square-orbicular, pentagonal-ovate, or compressed orbicular, 0.9-1.2 — 0.8-1.1cm, apex rounded or nearly truncate. Bracts cuneate-obovate or obtriangular, apex erose. Seeds 7-9mm including obliquely ovate wing. Pollination Apr, seed maturity Oct.Mountains, mixed forests, valleys, river basins; 1000-3500m. Anhui, Fujian, S Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, N Guizhou, W Henan, W Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, S Shaanxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Xizang, Yunnan, ZhejiangThe timber is used for construction, aircraft, furniture, and in mines. The bark is used for producing tannin, the trunk for resin, and the roots, trunk, and branches for aromatic oils.

USDA Hardiness Zone

5