Categories
Herbs & Plants

Platycladus orientalis

[amazon_link asins=’B074DSN162,B072Q61183,B01AN5XA80,B01AV6AAG6,B074P8VZDY,B01MXKKA8O,B071D357RS,B0728LTL83,B01A2UP6H4′ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’1c586f58-afd2-11e7-8fd8-ab62fd2feb32′]

Botanical Name : Platycladus orientalis
Family: Cupressaceae
Genus: Platycladus
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Pinophyta
Class: Pinopsida
Order: Pinales

Species: P. orientalis

Common Name :Chinese Arborvitae or Biota

Etymology:
The Common Name ‘arborvitae’ is from Latin, ‘tree of life’, and is based on its association with long life and vitality in Buddhist thought in China. This is probably based on the tree’s unchanging evergreen nature in the cold dry climate of northwest China, and its longevity; some of the larger specimens planted around Buddhist temples in China are said to be in excess of 1,000 years old. It is called ce bai  in Chinese.

Habitat : Platycladus orientalis  is native to northwestern China and widely naturalised elsewhere in Asia east to Korea and Japan, south to northern India, and west to northern Iran.

Description:
Oriental arborvitae is a densely branched evergreen conifer.  It is a small, slow-growing tree, to 15-20 m tall and 0.5 m trunk diameter (exceptionally to 30 m tall and 2 m diameter in very old trees). The foliage forms in flat sprays with scale-like leaves 2-4 mm long. The cones are 15-25 mm long, green ripening brown in about 8 months from pollination, and have 6-12 thick scales arranged in opposite pairs. The seeds are 4-6 mm long, with no wing.
CLICK & SEE.. THE PICTURES
Cultivated specimens are usually grown as a smaller, bushier shrub. It tends to have several to many stems, but can be trimmed to a single leader, creating a treelike form. The overall shape is conical, with the crown becoming more irregular and spreading with age.

Although generally accepted as only member of its genus, it has been suggested that the closely related species Microbiota decussata could be included in Platycladus, but this is not widely followed. Other fairly close relatives are the genera Juniperus and Cupressus, both of these genera being graft-compatible with Platycladus. In older texts, Platycladus was often included in Thuja, but it is only distantly related to that genus. Differences from Thuja include its distinct cones, wingless seeds, and its almost scentless foliage.

Cultivation:
You may click to see : Detail of cultivation of Platycladus orientalis;

Medicinal Uses:

In Chinese herbology Platycladus orientalis is one of  50 fundamental herbs.

Other Uses:
It is very widely used as an ornamental tree, both in its homeland, where it is associated with long life and vitality, and very widely elsewhere in temperate climates. The wood is used in Buddhist temples, both for construction work, and chipped, for incense burning.

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.


Resources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platycladus
http://www.cirrusimage.com/tree_oriental_arborvitae.htm
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Daniel_Fuchs.CC-BY-SA.Platycladus_orientalis.jpg

Enhanced by Zemanta

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

css.php