About
Cunninghamia lanceolata 'Glauca' is a coniferous tree that can reach heights of around 20 meters in cultivated settings, potentially exceeding this in its natural environment. Its bark, a rich dark brown, peels away in narrow strips, revealing a textured surface underneath. The leaves are long and lance-shaped, measuring up to 7 cm, with a deep green hue enhanced by a distinctive blue-grey coating that gives them a silvery appearance. In spring, the tree produces separate male and female flowers at the tips of its shoots, which are pollinated by the wind. Following the flowering period, round cones, measuring up to 4 cm in diameter, emerge; these start off bright green and transition to a glossy brown by autumn.
About the genus
Cunninghamia consists of evergreen trees characterized by their reddish bark and stiff, narrow leaves that are either lance-shaped or linear. The dark green foliage has a lighter underside and is arranged in two rows along the branches. The cones are spherical and brown.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained
- Aspect
- North-facing, East-facing, South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H5
Plant details
- Plant type
- Conifers
- Habit
- Columnar upright
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Height
- Higher than 12 metres
- Spread
- wider than 8 metres
- Time to full height
- 20-50 years
- Suggested uses
- City and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Architectural
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Plant when small (less than 1m high) in a sheltered position in sun or partial shade in moist well-drained soil that does not contain free lime; it prefers a mild, humid climate but may tolerate low temperatures
- Pruning
- No pruning required
- Propagation
- Propagate by heeled greenwood cuttings in late summer in a humid cold frame, or by softwood cuttings in summer under glass with bottom heat
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free