Yup, Blue China Fir, Cunninghamia lanceolata, 'Glauca'. I just went out and took this picture of one with a Disanthus.

I've rooted about 100 from cuttings in the early 80s. They're all big now.

Mike

OPs pic is representative of China Fir, dirty underwear and all.

I realize most people don't like the dead growth that hangs up in the branches until a good wind comes along, but I kinda like the looks of it. Took awhile though. It gives the tree an exotic look in my mind's eye.

That's a Hinoki 'flagging' on the far left and a Acer japonicum, 'Aconitifolium' on the right. Pic taken today, looking south on a cloudy day.

I have enough Blue China Firs to make a separate folder on them. About 20 from the original 100. The rest were sold or traded.

Mike

Did you'all know that down in Dixie they commonly call China Fir the Monkey Puzzle Tree?

Wow, thanks for the pics and identification Mike. That Disanthus is something else, I had never heard of it before. Definitely going to look into getting one for myself. Same goes for the Blue China Fir. I'm like you, I kinda like the looks of the dead growth. It makes it even more unique.

From your experience Mike, where would you say the Blue China Firs grow best?

It likes summer water and reasonable drainage. Sun, of course, but can handle a surprising amount of shade.

This one was growing in quite a bit of shade until I cut down a Calocedrus decurrans (Incense Cedar) and a Leyland Cypress called Castlewellan. It had been growing a little on the loose side and should thicken up now. It was about 35 ft. tall when I cut it down the first time, then it sprouted many sprouts and I thinned it down to one.

Acer circinatum in the background with a Parrotia under it and a Ternstromia on the right. It should fill in now also. Oh, and yellow seedlings of Lawson cypress on the upper right. Tree trunks are Pseudotsuga menziesii that I limbed with climbers in my younger days.

Mike

When I saw China firs living in the heavy rains and volcanic soil of a Hawaiian cloud forest they had a solid outer surface through which the dead foliage might not show much. This is true with Sawara cypress and Thujas also, when they are full and dense the flagging is not visible, it is sparser specimens that show the dead junk.

Sam have you been to the VA State Arboretum? The Cunninghamias there, IIRC, look reasonably good and healthy looking. And they are quite large. Although some are mislabeled as 'Glauca' when they aren't blue at all.

They are somewhat shaggy and disheveled even in their native habitat:

JC Raulston Arboretum - Photographs

davidrt28, your post is very timely. I just returned from an event at Va State Arboretum near Winchester VA. Their limey soils don't seem to bother China Fir. They have 3 or 4 of them in the collection easily 60' tall.

Here's one I gave to my neighbor about 25 years ago. He thought it was getting 'too tall' so he cut it down and let all the sprouts from the stump grow. It's in full sun.

Thanks for the pics Sam. I almost wonder if the slightly limey soils there are in fact beneficial for this species.

Here's some more of mine. The tall ones are on the other side of the driveway.

We had a good wind yesterday afternoon and it cleared all the dead growth out of the trees a little while after I took this picture. Power was off for 12 hours. My generator gets used several times a year.

Mike

This was taken two years ago when ice was beginning to form on the pond.

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i283/Botann/My%20favorite%20pics/2710725280036511179FGQmkF_fs.jpg

Thuja looks too narrow and yellow for 'Zebrina' in this shot. Variegated branches seem to appear rather often on this species, with multiple different cultivars having been named and introduced. A couple of additional examples I brought back from Britain during the 1990s were 'Irish Gold' and 'Zebrina Extra Gold'.

Narrow and more yellow could be caused by full sun and very good deep topsoil in that area. Right next to it, he has his irrigated veggie garden enhanced by the liberal use of composted cow manure from his two cows he raises every year. He used to run pigs there, but fortunately he got the landscape bug from me and has a part time nursery.

I bought the Zebrina in the early 80s from Wells Nursery in Mt Vernon. When it was very small I didn't like the looks of it so I gave it to my neighbor. It looked dull and washed out. After a few years at my neighbor's I noticed it started to look very good. He took the hint and gave me a small tree from a cutting he did. Mine is not looking near as bright yellow because it's in a lot of shade and not so good soil.

Mike