Taiwania trees (Taiwania cryptomerioides) are large evergreens, native to East Asia. Relatively poorly known among North American tree enthusiasts, these immense trees can make interesting specimen trees in yards and commercial areas, provided that you can find specimens for sale.
Description
Taiwania trees grow in two different patterns throughout their lives. As young trees, they produce long, pendulous branches along most of the trunk, giving the entire tree a pyramidal shape. However, as they reach about 40 to 50 feet in height, they begin taking on their mature form. At this point, they begin shedding their lower limbs, which results in a bare bole for two-thirds of the tree’s height. The canopy is thereby restricted to the upper third of the tree, and often takes on an irregular, shaggy appearance.
As with the growth-form dichotomy, Taiwania trees produce leaves of two different shapes. The leaves on young specimens are awl-like, and reach about one inch in length; leaves of mature trees are scale-like and lay flat against the branches. No matter the age of the tree, the leaves are usually a very attractive shade of blue-green, although some individual trees produce a more subdued green foliage.
Small cones adorn the tips of the branches, but only on mature specimens that already produce mature foliar patterns. The bark is reddish brown, although older specimens may turn gray from weathering. The bark flakes away in strips, and becomes fissured over time.
Emergent Species
Taiwania trees reach immense sizes and are among the largest Asian species. The tallest specimens exceed 200 feet in height, rivaling or surpassing many North American giants, such as tuliptrees (Liriodendron tulipifera), white pines (Pinus strobus), noble firs (Abies procera) and Douglas firs (Pseudotsuga menziesii). The tree often grows as a minor component of forests, represented by emergent individuals, who tower above the canopy. However, they also form pure stands in a few locations.
Human Usage
Named after the location in which they were first discovered, these trees have long been prized for their soft, yet durable lumber. Additionally, the wood often bears attractive yellow and red rings, which make it popular among craftsmen. They were historically used in temple construction and for coffins (which led to their other common name – coffin trees), but thanks to years of overharvesting, the trees are no longer as plentiful as they once were in the wild.
This has led the IUCN Redlist to classify them as “Vulnerable” in most of their range and “Critically Endangered” in Vietnam. Several Asian governments have responded by bestowing legal protections on the species. However, the trees grow quickly in a cultivated setting, and many plantations in the region produce these large trees.
Cultivation
Taiwania trees eventually attain massive size, but according to the 2010 Yearbook published by the International Dendrology Society, no North American specimens have reached maturity. In most cases, cultivated Taiwania will fail to reach their natural potential, thus keeping them small enough for some spaces. Additionally, Taiwania trees possess a number of traits that make them otherwise suitable as shade or specimen trees. However, they are somewhat difficult to acquire in the commercial market, so they are rather rare in privately owned properties.
Although they require strong, direct sunlight to grow well, Taiwania trees tolerate light shade. They are not drought tolerant by California standards, although established specimens withstand droughts in the southern United States. Low temperatures are rarely a problem, especially if other trees or buildings shield them from the wind. They can likely tolerate U.S. Hardiness Zones 7 through 10. Timber companies often grow them in the Southeastern United States, as do many horticultural parks throughout the western half of the country.