Glyptostrobus pensilis
Common name: 
Chinese Swamp Cypress
Water Pine
Water Fir
Shui song
Pronunciation: 
glip-toh-STROH-bus pen-SIL-is
Family: 
Cupressaceae
Genus: 
Glyptostrobus
Type: 
Conifer
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon: 
No
  • Deciduous conifer, a tree of medium size, 50(100) ft [(15(30) m] tall, with a buttressed trunk and brown or grayish bark which cracks into long, irregular strips.  The main branches spread horizontally.  When growing in water it may develop pneumatophores, so-called "knees" commonly associated with Taxodium.   Leaves are spirally arranged but twisted at the base to lie in two horizontal ranks, 5–20 mm long and 1–2 m wide; light green when young, rich brown in autumn.  Cones are stalked, pear-shaped, green maturing to yellow-brown, 2–3 cm long and 1–1.5 cm wide; when mature they release the small, 5–20 mm, winged seeds.  Cones similar to in appearance to those of Taxodium, but differ in being pear-shaped and stalked.
  • Sun and light shade.  Best near water.
  • Hardy to USDA Zone 8        Native to China.  Probably no longer found in the wild.  Presently cultivated in SE China, Lao and Viet Nam. Sometimes planted on the edge of rice paddies to stabilize banks and reduce soil erosion.
Click image to enlarge
  • plant habit, small tree

    plant habit, small tree

  • foliage

    foliage

  • branchlet

    branchlet

  • branchlets

    branchlets

  • leaves (needles)

    leaves (needles)

  • small trunk, bark

    small trunk, bark