Calocedrus decurrens (incense cedar, "Onihiba")

Japanese name: オニヒバ （鬼檜葉）
Scientific name: Calocedrus decurrens

[Overview]
An evergreen coniferous tree 40–60 m tall, with some reaching 3 m in diameter.
The leaves, branches and wood are aromatic.
The crown is columnar at first, becoming broadly triangular and then narrowly conical as it grows.
The bark of mature trees is reddish brown with conspicuous vertical furrows.
The twigs are flattened and arranged in two ranks, alternately.
The leaves on non-flowering twigs are scale-like, 15 mm long, pressed tightly against the twig in decussate pairs, and glossy dark green.
The leaves on flowering twigs are slightly smaller scales, pressed tightly against the twig in whorls, and glossy dark green.
Inflorescences are borne at the tips of the twigs; the male flowers are oblong, and the female inflorescence is oblong with 3 pairs of scales.
The lowest pair of scales is recurved, and the uppermost pair is linear and fused.
The fruit is an oblong cone 2.5 cm long that ripens within the year.
The seeds are winged.

[Uses]
It is used as timber.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or by cuttings.
It prefers a sunny, well-drained site.
It is easy to grow, but growth is slow.

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