Keteleeria fortunei seed
LATIN NAME: KETELEERIA FORTUNEI
COMMON NAME: Fortune’s Keteleeria, Chinese Coffin Tree
Fortune’s keteleeria is a tree that has outlived empires, a tall evergreen conifer of southern China that can reach forty metres or more, with a straight, sturdy trunk and dense, spreading branches clothed in narrow, stiff needles, dark green above and paler beneath. The cones are fat, woody and upright, sitting like ornaments on the upper branches and ripening to a rich brown. It is a relict of an ancient lineage, a member of the pine family whose relatives once covered far more of the earth, and individual trees have lived for more than a thousand years, reaching enormous size. Native from Fujian and Guangdong across to Yunnan and Zhejiang, it grows in hills, mountains and broadleaf forests between two hundred and fourteen hundred metres, and it is a protected species in China, treasured for its antiquity, its elegant form and its historic timber, which has been used for fine construction and, famously, for coffins.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
Fortune’s keteleeria has a genuine place in conservation, forestry and botanical research. As an ancient relict species and a protected tree in China, it has been studied for its regeneration, its seed biology and its conservation in the wild, where its populations are carefully monitored. Forestry researchers examine its growth and its wood, which has long been valued for fine work in China, and its great age makes it interesting to scientists studying tree longevity and the biology of very old individuals. Botanists study its classification within the pine family and its relationships with the other keteleerias, a small genus of ancient Asian conifers. For a tree of such antiquity and value, Fortune’s keteleeria has a steady and important record of research.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
Ecologically, Fortune’s keteleeria is a noble tree of the Chinese forest. Its dense evergreen canopy gives shelter for birds and wildlife, its seeds feed squirrels and birds, and it is a cornerstone of the ancient forests where it grows, providing structure and habitat for a whole community. Economically, its timber has historic value for construction and fine work in China, and the tree is now grown in gardens and arboreta around the world for its handsome evergreen form and its living link to the deep past. For a grower it is a tree of prestige and great age, and for a gardener it brings an ancient, noble presence to the landscape.
To grow the Fortune’s Keteleeria from seed, to raise Fortune’s keteleeria, store the seeds in damp, chilled compost over the winter months, then sow them in pots of free-draining compost and keep them in a cool, bright place.
store the seeds in damp, chilled compost over the winter months, then sow them in pots of free-draining compost, and keep the young keteleerias in a cool, bright place.
LATIN NAME: Keteleeria fortunei
COMMON NAME: Fortunes Keteleeria, Chinese Coffin Tree
The Fortunes keteleeria is a tree that has outlived empires. It is a tall, evergreen conifer that can reach forty metres or more, with a straight, sturdy trunk and dense, spreading branches clothed in narrow, stiff needles that are dark green above and paler beneath. The cones are fat, woody and upright, and they sit like ornaments on the upper branches, ripening to a rich brown. It is an ancient tree, a relict of a time when its family covered far more of the earth, and individual trees have been known to live for more than a thousand years, reaching enormous size.
The Fortunes keteleeria belongs to the pine family, Pinaceae, and it is native to southern China, from Fujian and Guangdong across to Yunnan and Zhejiang, where it grows in hills, mountains and broadleaf forests between 200 and 1,400 metres. It is a protected species in China, treasured for its antiquity and its elegant form.
Positive & Encouraging Seed Germination Guide
Growing a Fortunes keteleeria from seed is a project for the patient, and it is deeply rewarding. The seeds sit inside the woody cones, and they germinate best after a period of cool, moist conditions, so sow them in pots of free-draining compost in autumn and leave them outdoors through winter, or chill them in the fridge for a couple of months first. Germination can be slow and uneven, with seedlings appearing over several weeks, so dont be discouraged. Grow the young trees on in pots, giving them bright light, cool conditions and good drainage, and plant them out in a sheltered, moist, well-drained spot once they are strong. A keteleeria you have raised from seed is a tree for centuries.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
Fortunes keteleeria has a genuine place in conservation and forestry research. Because it is an ancient relict species and a protected tree in China, it has been studied for its regeneration, its ecology and its conservation, and researchers have examined how it reproduces, how its seeds germinate and how it can be protected in the wild. As a timber tree, it has also been studied in forestry research for its growth and its wood, which has been valued in China for fine work, and its great age makes it interesting to researchers studying tree longevity. For a tree of such antiquity and value, Fortunes keteleeria has a steady and important record of research.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
Ecologically, Fortunes keteleeria is a noble tree of the Chinese forest. Its dense evergreen canopy gives shelter for birds and wildlife, its seeds feed squirrels and birds, and it is a cornerstone of the ancient forests where it grows.
Its economic value is real and historic. The timber is valued in China for construction and fine work, and the tree has been used for coffins, which is how one of its common names arose, and it is now grown in gardens and arboreta around the world for its handsome evergreen form. For a grower, Fortunes keteleeria is a tree of prestige and great age, and for a gardener it brings a living link to the deep past.