Cryptomeria japonica - Japanese Cedar

Japanese cedar is a tall, cone shaped evergreen with bluish green foliage and a massive trunk. Bark is thick reddish brown and peels in long strips. This is a fast growing tree that can get more than 50 m tall with a trunk diameter exceeding 12 ft, in its native habitat. Planted specimens may be rarely more than 60 ft tall. Branches are arranged in horizontal tiers, ascending at first, then drooping near their ends. The flattened, wedge- shaped leaves are about 1.3 cm long and point forward, while their bases clasp the twigs. The leaves are overlapping and crowded in 5 ranks that spiral around and completely cloak the twigs. Male and female cones, 1 inch or less in length, are on the same tree. Female cones are brown, globular, 1.5-2 cm, composed of 20-30 overlapping cone-scales. Japanese cedar is a forest tree native to Japan, naturalized in China. It is extensively planted in eastern Himalayas - Darjeeling, Arunachal Pradesh, E. Nepal and Kathmandu.