Japanese Cedar (Cryptomeria japonica)
GPS Coordinates: 40.-2431, -75.314278
The Japanese Cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) is actually a member of the Cypress family. It is a slow-growing evergreen that changes shape as it matures; younger trees are commonly slender pyramids, but older trees more often have irregular crowns. It is one of a few conifers that sprout from cut stumps. The tree, native to Japan as the name implies, can be identified by its very short needles that spiral along the branches, pointing toward the end of the stems, which hang and droop toward the ground, and the similarly drooping bark, which peels off in long strips. Cryptomeria japonica is the only species in its genus that coexisted with dinosaurs! It grows very fast, up to 25 feet in just 10 short years. In its native habitat it can grow to be 180 feet tall. It is often used for bonsai, and also harvested for timber.