Sciadopitys verticillata Pinaceae, Taxodiaceae, or Sciadopityaceae
Umbrella Pine, Japanese Umbrella Pine si-a-DOP-i-tis ver-ti-si-LA-ta
- Conifer, evergreen tree, often with a narrow, conical crown, but it has a variable growth habit, 30-70 ft (10-20 m) tall in cultivation (over 100 feet in its habitat), slow growing. Produces two types of needles, some are small, scale-like (5 mm long), but the more obvious ones are linear, flat, 8-12 cm long and 5-7 mm wide, emarginate, dark green above and 2 white bands below, may "bronze" in winter. Both male and female flowers on same plants (i.e., monoecious). Male flowers (pollen cones) in dense groups at the branch tips, female flowers solitary, terminal, and resulting seed cones oblong-ovate, upright, 6-10 cm long.
- Sun to part shade, late afternoon shade in hot areas. Best in rich, moist, acid soils.
- Hardy to USDA Zone 5 Native to Japan. A few cultivars, including: 'Variegata', leaves green, half yellow, and yellow (possibly the same as 'Aurea'); 'Wintergreen', foliage stays bright green in winter.
- Sciadopitys: from the Greek skias or skiados, an umbrella or parasail, and pitys, a fir or pine. verticillata: whorled.
- Oregon State Univ. campus: small plant at the northeast corner of Milne Computer Center.
- Salem: east of the State Capitol.