Cryptomeria japonica 'Black Dragon'

[Kirk]

I've seen them listed with an "average" growth rate maxing out at about 12 ft. That being said, at Emory University, we have several growing in well amended, cultivated, irrigated and fertilized, full sun landscape beds and after 5+ yrs they are about 5 ft. tall. They were already fairly substantial 3 gal. plants at initial planting.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

5 years and 5 feet tall? That's not too bad. I should figure out how to get this one to grow well. I heard they like a lot of organics.

 

[Kirk]

More like 2.5 to 3 ft in 5 yrs. (by casual observation). They were already about 2.5 ft at the time of planting. I'm also being conservative with the amount of time in the ground. They may have been there a little longer. In comparison, I planted several standard cryptomeria that were balled and burlaped in 2006. They are already taller than a 2 story building. Don't be put off by 'Black Dragon' growth rate, though. They are great little trees with a wonderful deep green color and interesting bark.

Kirk

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Now, do they really turn black? Or do they just get very dark as they get older?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I bought 2 'Black Dragon' for landscape plants in the front yard in '07. They were in 2-gallon containers and were globular, 12" or so in total diameter. One died from a lack of water or too much heat. The other is doing very well. It's more than doubled in size since;' both in trunk (1.5" now) and in total diameter.

I'll admit, I'm watching it for potential and will probably pot it up and replace it with another in a few years. The growth is very fresh green and pretty...definitely has potential.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

So, do they like a lot of water?

 

[cquinn]

This is a tree you want to use for forests not specimen bonsai. Use the non-dwarf variety for speciment trees.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Al posted a nice pic of one, so I think it shows potential.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Ryan, yes they seem to take quite a bit of water; but again, my only Crypto is in the ground. I've also read in Bonsai Today that they prefer a more organic soil. Articles for Crypto are in issues 7, 10, 29, 31, 47, 67, and 77.

As dwarfs go; this one has larger and softer foliage than some of the dwarfs I've seen at Brussel's (see attached photo), and looks like it would make a great chuhin-or-larger bonsai; specimen or forest.

The live foliage does not turn black; it's a VERY fresh color, but mine definitely hangs onto older, dead foliage inside. The bark is a little darker than the yamadori shown above.

I've done a little digging around on mine since this thread came up and it is really getting a nice trunk. It's a landscape plant now, and my wife loves it...but it might get promoted to the benches...someday

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Thanks Brian!

I'll pot mine up into a grow box or pot and see what happens. Do these trees even grow noticeable nebari? I've never really seen nice nebari on one before. Maybe I'm just looking in the wrong place.....

 

[rockm]

Ryan,

In their native habitat in the Japanese islands (where the species is called "sugi"), these trees can be enormous, often associated with temples:

http://oldphotosjapan.com/en/photos/254/cryptomeria-road

Scroll down here:
http://www.dailyonigiri.com/category/green-japan/

Nebari on those old ones ain't much, as with some other fast growing giants.

THis is a typical bonsai image of a cryptomeria. The layered lines are said to represent a samurai's armor...

http://eshop.zr-giardinaggio.it/store/product_info.php?products_id=1159

To get a more realistic idea of the image you can probably produce with a seedling, it would be worth a trip to the National Arboretum. The entrance to the bonsai pavillion (The approach walk with the big Japanese lantern directly adjascent to the main Arb. building and koi pond) is lined with maturing Cryptomeria 40-50 feet tall.

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Thank you Rock!

I had heard they get big, but not that big. Thanks for those links, very interesting. I may have to take a trip to the National Arboretum, that would be very worthwhile. For now, I suppose I will pot this one up in the fall and see what kind of growth I can get..

 

[Smoke]

A nice big one

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jōmon_Sugi

 

[rockm]

In case you missed the link on the "Green Japan" page (note the two "married" giants united by a common branch):
http://www.celebrazio.net/travel/adventure/sugi.html

You will not get appreciable growth in a pot, but if that's all ya got, that's all ya got. ;-)

 

[Redwood Ryan]

Very cool links you two, and yes I did miss that link Rock, thank you. These trees remind me of the Redwoods in California...(but these seem a bit smaller).

 

[rockm]

Redwoods and Sugi grow in similar maritime rainforest habitats and they are related species. They are exploiting similar environmental respective niches in Coastal California and in Japan.

 

[Alain BERTRAND]

Another picture link.
Oku no in is the big cemetary at the Shingon sect headquarters, where Kobo Daishi is buried.

 

[subnet_rx]

Thanks for the links, that lead me on some interesting trails down Japanese facts and figures this morning. I have two cryptomeria's that are of the variety Gyo Kuryu. They have done well in the heat and established quickly, but I'll admit I've only had them for a year. I'd say about 6 inches of growth this year after planting them in the fall of last year.

 

[DhD47]

Fast forward to fall 2014 and I just got home from Betty's azalea ranch in Fairfax (near Merrifield) and I got a Japanese Cedar "Black Dragon" that was on sale for $10. I figure I'll take it home and let it be until spring when I will plant it in a larger pot and based on what I learn about this tree I may cut down the roots and wire it up. The nice thing is this tree has a lot of little cones on it so I may be able to start some more from seed. We will see.

Dave

 

[DhD47]

I need to buy some turface from somewhere.....

Let me know what you find as I'm in need of some myself and I'm just down the street from there.

Dave