How Long Does it Take a Chinese Cypress to Mature?

Glyptostrobus pensilis is also known by the botanical names Taxodium heterophyllum and Thuja pensilis.

Chinese swamp cypress (Glyptostrobus pensilis) is also known by the scientific names G. heterophyllus, G. lineatus and G. sinensis, as well as the common name Chinese water fir. Though once widely established across much of Europe and Asia, native populations of G. pensilis are now only found in the tropical regions of southeastern China and two areas in Dac Lac, Vietnam.

Time to Mature

Chinese swamp cypress trees grow at an average rate for plants in the Cupressaceae family, with most specimens growing between 3 and 4 feet each year. These trees are mature, meaning they can produce seeds, when they reach about 40 feet in height, and this can take from 10 to 12 years, depending on growing conditions. Mature G. pensilis trees can grow to heights between 50 and 100 feet, and they feature fibrous, reddish-brown bark and deciduous leaves that grow in spiral arrangements to form broad, pyramidal crowns. Juvenile foliage appears as small, linear specimens while mature leaves are scale-like and arranged horizontally on the fertile or persistent shoots. Green, pear-shaped seed cones appear from July through October, and they turn a yellowish-brown color when ripe before opening in November to release long, winged seeds.

Taxonomy

The Chinese swamp cypress tree is a member of the Plant Kingdom, Plantae, as well as Division Pinophyta and Class Pinopsida. G. pensilis belongs to the Order Pinales and the Family Cupressaceae, which is the group of temperate-region plants known as conifers. Chinese swamp cypress is the only living species of the small Genus Glyptostrobus.

Long-Lived

Cypress trees are some of the most long-lived plants on the planet, with some members of the Cupressaceae family of plants being thought to be hundreds or even thousands of years old. A 2001 report in the People's Daily stated that Xinhua News Agency reporters visited a 2,500-year-old Yarlung Zangbo cypress tree in Tibet that was thought to be the tallest and oldest cypress tree in China. Cypress trees, including G. pensilis, are great choices for creating dramatic landscapes, as the long life of these majestic plants will ensure they are enjoyed by garden visitors for generations to come.

Endangered Species

G. pensilis is listed as an endangered species, as wild populations of Chinese swamp cypress have been reduced to a few remote locations in Asia. Demand for the colorful, scented and decay-resistant wood, as well as the disease-fighting properties it is rumored to possess, has led to widespread over-harvesting of the Chinese swamp cypress. A 2010 report by VietNamNet Bridge stated that fewer than 300 wild trees were growing in Vietnam, and that they are no longer reproducing on their own.

References

• Plants for a Future: Glyptostrobus pensilis - (Staunton.)Koch.
• People's Daily: 2,500-year-old Cypress (May 12, 2001)Tree in Tibet
• The University of Florida IFAS Extension:
• The University of Connecticut: Ecology and Evolutionary Plant Biology Plant Growth Facility; Glyptostrobus pensilis (Staunton ex D.Don) K.Koch
• Fast-Growing-Trees.com: Leyland Cypress
• VietNamNet Bridge: Panacea seekers chop down endangered trees (1/16/2010)

Resources

• The Gymnosperm Database: Cupressaceae