Sciadopitys verticillata seeds (Japanese Umbrella Pine)

Description

This highly prized ornamental conifer is one of the five sacred trees from Japan’s Kiso forest. Its extremely thick green luxuriant needles arranged in great whorls along the twigs and smaller branches and lovely craggy orange brown bark made me stop to admire this tree.  Its young cones are unlike any other conifer being beautifully coloured with celadon and gilded bronze. Stunning!

• Seed Count: 15-20
• Collection Date:  Oct 2021
• Hardiness Zone: 6-9
• Height and Width: 10m x 5m
• Germination test type: hand sort
• Family: Sciadopityaceae

How to germinate Sciadopitys verticillata seeds:

Soak seed in a small quantity of water for 12-24 hours. Place seed in a resealable baggie with moist medium of fine bark mulch or chopped pine needles. Cold stratify 3 months. Once cold stratification period is over, begin warm stratification cycle at 20-25C. Seed will expand and split as the embryo awakens. Transplant into deep pots filled with well draining medium and include some of the bark mulch used in the stratification process. Continue to grow at 15-20C and provide bright indirect light. Protect from slugs in the first year…once true needles form and the seedling is a couple of inches tall, its almost bullet proof. NEVER let the seed dry out once you’ve started the germination cycle.