Tsuga chinensis seed

LATIN NAME: Tsuga chinensis

COMMON NAME: Chinese Hemlock, Taiwan Hemlock

The Chinese hemlock is a graceful and noble conifer of the eastern Asian mountains, and its soft, feathery foliage has made it a treasure of the forest and the garden. It grows as a tall, evergreen conifer, reaching up to fifty metres, with a straight trunk and a broadly conical crown of short, flattened, dark green needles, arranged in flat sprays, and small, pendulous cones. It is native to China, Taiwan and Vietnam, and it is a quite variable species with many recognised varieties, growing in the mountain forests of the region.

The Chinese hemlock belongs to the pine family, Pinaceae, and it is a coniferous tree species native to China, Taiwan and Vietnam. The tree is quite variable and has many recognised varieties, though some are also maintained to be separate species by certain authorities, and it was recently studied for its relationships, which has kept it at the centre of research on the hemlocks of Asia.

Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology

The Chinese hemlock has a genuine and growing place in both botanical and forestry research. It has been studied in botany, since it is a variable species with many recognised varieties, and researchers have examined its classification, its relationships with the other hemlocks and the question of whether some of its varieties should be treated as separate species, which has made it of interest in the study of the hemlocks and of conifer taxonomy. The tree has also been studied in forestry science, since it is an important tree of the mountain forests of China and Taiwan, and researchers have examined its growth, its timber and its management in the forests where it grows. The species has also been studied in ecology, since it is a native of the high forests of the region, and its responses to the changing climate have been of interest. For a tree of such grace and such scientific interest, the Chinese hemlock has a rich and growing record of research.

Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications

Ecologically, the Chinese hemlock is a keystone of the eastern Asian forest. Its small cones feed birds and small mammals, its feathery evergreen crown gives shelter, and its deep roots hold the steep mountain slopes, while it is a graceful and noble presence in the high forests.

Its economic value is real. It is an important timber tree of the mountain forests of China and Taiwan, used for construction and other work, and it is a beautiful ornamental conifer, prized for its soft, feathery foliage, while it is valuable for the protection of the mountain forests and the watersheds. For a grower, the Chinese hemlock is a valuable and graceful tree, and for a gardener it brings soft, feathery evergreen beauty. The seeds are easy — sow them in a pot of free-draining compost in spring, keep them lightly covered in a sunny, sheltered spot and water them gently, and they’ll sprout within a few weeks, growing on steadily into a graceful tree.

Tsuga chinensis  synonym:Taiwan Hemlock/Chinese Hemlock

Chinese Hemlock is a rare evergreen conifer that is native to China, Taiwan, Tibet and Vietnam. It slowly grows 40 to 50 feet with a pyramidal form but can be pruned as  large shrub or hedge. Foliage is fresh light green. The needles are fine textured with soft, graceful, horizontal to pendulous branches with reddish-brown oval shaped buds. The bark is scaly with a blackish brown in color.