Chamaecyparis obtusa explained

Chamaecyparis obtusa (Japanese cypress, hinoki cypress or hinoki; Japanese: 檜 or Japanese: 桧,) is a species of cypress native to central Japan in East Asia,[1] [2] and widely cultivated in the temperate northern hemisphere for its high-quality timber and ornamental qualities, with many cultivars commercially available.

Description

It is a slow-growing tree which may reach 35m (115feet) tall[3] with a trunk up to 1m (03feet) in diameter. The bark is dark red-brown. The leaves are scale-like, 2- long, blunt tipped (obtuse), green above, and green below with a white stomatal band at the base of each scale-leaf. The cones are globose, 8- in diameter, with 8–12 scales arranged in opposite pairs.

Related species

The plant is widespread in Japan. The related Chamaecyparis pisifera (sawara cypress) can be readily distinguished in its having pointed tips to the leaves and smaller cones. A similar cypress found on Taiwan is treated by different botanists as either a variety of this species (as Chamaecyparis obtusa var. formosana) or as a separate species Chamaecyparis taiwanensis; it differs in having smaller cones (6–9 mm diameter) with smaller scales, and leaves with a more acute apex.

Timber

It is grown for its very high-quality timber in Japan, where it is used as a material for building palaces, temples, shrines, traditional noh theatres, baths, table tennis blades and masu. The wood is lemon-scented, light pinkish-brown, with a rich, straight grain, and is highly rot-resistant. For example, Horyuji Temple and Osaka Castle are built from hinoki wood. The hinoki grown in Kiso, used for building Ise Shrine, are called 御神木 go-shin-boku, or "divine trees".

Ornamental cultivation

It is also a popular ornamental tree in parks and gardens, both in Japan and elsewhere in temperate climates, including western Europe and parts of North America. A large number of cultivars have been selected for garden planting, including dwarf forms, forms with yellow leaves, and forms with congested foliage. It is also often grown as bonsai.

Cultivars

Over 200 cultivars have been selected, varying in size from trees as large as the wild species, down to very slow-growing dwarf plants under 30cm (10inches) high. A few of the best known are listed below.[4] [5] [6] Those marked have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit (confirmed 2017).[7]

Chemistry

The lignans chamaecypanones A and B, obtulignolide, and isootobanone can be found in the heartwood of Chamaecyparis obtusa var. formosana.[16] The biflavones sciadopitysin, ginkgetin, isoginkgetin, podocarpusflavone B, 7,7''-O-dimethylamentoflavone, bilobetin, podocarpusflavone A, 7-O-methylamentoflavone, amentoflavone, hinokinin and hinokiflavone have been confirmed in the leaves of the plant.[17] Chamaecydin was first discovered in the seeds of C. obtusa.[18] The essential oil of Chamaecyparis obtusa contains a wide range of chemical compounds, including but not limited to the following: sabinene, elemol, myrcene, limonene, terpinen-4-ol, eudesmols, α-terpinyl acetate, α-terpinolene, α-terpineol, 3-carene, α-pinene, γ-terpinene, camphene, bornyl acetate, 1-methyladamantane, cuminol, eucarvone, 2-cyclopenten-1-one, 3,4-dimethyl-, 1,3-dimethyl-1-cyclohexene, calamenene, τ-muurolol, borneol, α-cadinol, β-thujaplicin.[19] [20] Some of these compounds are fragrances or intermediates used in the fragrance industry. Thus, the C. obtusa essential oil is used in perfumery and personal care products, such as soaps, shampoos, cosmetics.[20] Hinoki wood is used as a traditional Japanese stick incense for its light, earthy aroma.[21]

Essential oil distilled from its wood is uniquely scented and highly valued.[22]

Pollen

Hinoki pollen can cause pollinosis, a specific type of allergic rhinitis. Chamaecyparis obtusa, along with Cryptomeria japonica (sugi, Japanese cedar), is the leading source of allergic pollen in Japan and a major cause of hay fever in Japan.[23]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Farjon, A.. 2005. Monograph of Cupressaceae and Sciadopitys. Royal Botanic Gardens. Kew. 1-84246-068-4.
  2. Book: Rushforth, K.. 1987. Conifers. Helm. 0-7470-2801-X.
  3. Web site: Chamaecyparis obtusa - Plant Finder. 2021-02-18. www.missouribotanicalgarden.org.
  4. Book: Lewis, J.. 1992. The International Conifer Register Part 3: The Cypresses. Royal Horticultural Society. London.
  5. Book: Welch, H.. Haddow, G.. 1993. The World Checklist of Conifers. Landsman's. 0-900513-09-8.
  6. Tree Register of the British Isles
  7. Web site: AGM Plants – Ornamental . July 2017 . 16 . Royal Horticultural Society . 24 January 2018.
  8. Web site: RHS Plantfinder – Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Crippsii'. 30 January 2018.
  9. Web site: RHS Plantfinder – Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Fernspray Gold'. 30 January 2018.
  10. Web site: RHS Plantfinder – Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Kamarachiba'. 30 January 2018.
  11. Web site: RHS Plantfinder – Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Kosteri'. 30 January 2018.
  12. Web site: RHS Plantfinder – Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana'. 30 January 2018.
  13. Web site: RHS Plantfinder – Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana Aurea'. 30 January 2018.
  14. Web site: RHS Plantfinder – Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana gracilis'. 30 January 2018.
  15. Web site: RHS Plantfinder – Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Tsatsumi Gold'. 30 January 2018.
  16. Three novel and one new lignan, chamaecypanones A, B, obtulignolide and isootobanone from the heartwood of Chamaecyparis obtusa var. formosana. Kuo, Y.-H.. Chen, C.-H.. Chiang Y.-M.. Tetrahedron Letters. 42. 38. 2001. 6731–6735. 10.1016/S0040-4039(01)01272-2.
  17. Biflavones from Chamaecyparis obtusa. Krauze-Baranowska, M.. Pobłocka, L.. El-Hela, A. A.. Zeitschrift für Naturforschung C. 2005. 60. 9–10. 679–685. 16320608. 10.1515/znc-2005-9-1004. 819375.
  18. Su . Wen-Chiung . Fang . Jim-Min . Cheng . Yu-Shia . 1993-10-01 . Hexacarbocyclic triterpenes from leaves of Cryptomeria japonica . Phytochemistry . en . 34 . 3 . 779–782 . 10.1016/0031-9422(93)85358-X . 1993PChem..34..779S . 0031-9422.
  19. Raha . Suchismita . Kim . Seong . Lee . Ho . Lee . Sang . Heo . Jeong . Venkatarame Gowda Saralamma . Venu . Ha . Sang . Kim . Eun . Mun . Sung . Kim . Gon . Essential oil from Korean Chamaecyparis obtusa leaf ameliorates respiratory activity in Sprague‑Dawley rats and exhibits protection from NF-κB-induced inflammation in WI38 fibroblast cells . International Journal of Molecular Medicine . 31 October 2018 . 43 . 1 . 393–403 . 10.3892/ijmm.2018.3966. 30387810 . 6257863 . 53391206 .
  20. Lee . Geun-Shik . Hong . Eui-Ju . Gwak . Ki-Seob . Park . Mi-Jin . Choi . Kyung-Chul . Choi . In-Gyu . Jang . Je-Won . Jeung . Eui-Bae . The essential oils of Chamaecyparis obtusa promote hair growth through the induction of vascular endothelial growth factor gene . Fitoterapia . January 2010 . 81 . 1 . 17–24 . 10.1016/j.fitote.2009.06.016. 19576968 .
  21. Web site: Hinoki Japanese Cypress Essential Oil . Stillpoint Aromatics . en.
  22. Web site: Su . Sharleen . Distilling Taiwan's Native Scent . www.taiwan-panorama.com . Taiwan Panorama . 16 December 2020.
  23. Ishibashi . Akira . Sakai . Kenshi . Dispersal of allergenic pollen from Cryptomeria japonica and Chamaecyparis obtusa: characteristic annual fluctuation patterns caused by intermittent phase synchronisations . Scientific Reports . December 2019 . 9 . 1 . 11479 . 10.1038/s41598-019-47870-6. 31391490 . 6685964 . 2019NatSR...911479I . 199474476 .

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