Cunninghamia lanceolata 'Glauca'
Chinese fir 'Glauca'
A tree up to about 20m high in cultivation (it may grow taller in its native habitat) with dark brown bark which is shed in narrow strips and lush lance-shaped leaves up to 7cm long, deep green with a blue-grey bloom so that they have a silvery sheen. Separate male and female wind-pollinated flowers appear at the shoot tips in spring followed by roundish cones, up to 4cm across, which start bright green and become glossy brown in the autumn
Size
Ultimate height
Higher than 12 metresTime to ultimate height
20–50 yearsUltimate spread
Wider than 8 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Brown | Green Blue Grey Silver | Brown Green | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Brown | Green Blue Grey Silver | Brown Green | |
| Autumn | Brown | Green Blue Grey Silver | Brown Green | |
| Winter | Brown | Green Blue Grey Silver | Brown Green |
Position
- Full sun
- Partial shade
Aspect
North–facing or East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H5Botanical details
- Family
- Cupressaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Habit
- Columnar upright
- Genus
Cunninghamia are evergreen trees with reddish bark and rigid, narrowly lance-shaped or linear, dark green leaves, paler beneath, arranged in two ranks on the shoots; cones are spherical, brown
- Name status
Accepted
How to grow
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
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
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Cottage and informal garden
- Architectural
- Low Maintenance
Pruning
No pruning required
Pests
Generally pest-free
Diseases
Generally disease-free
Get involved
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