Tsuga sieboldii: Uses (Ethnobotany)
Wood used for lumber
Plant Profile: Tsuga sieboldii
Names
Southern Japanese Hemlock
Phonetic Spelling:SOO-guh see-BOLD-ee-eye
Genus:Tsuga
Species:sieboldii
Family:Pinaceae
The Southern Japanese Hemlock is a coniferous evergreen native to Japan, capable of reaching heights of up to 100 feet, though it typically grows to about 50 feet when cultivated. Its trunk can measure as much as 8 feet in diameter, and it may develop multiple trunks, exhibiting a slow growth rate. In its natural environment, this species is classified as near threatened.
This tree thrives in moist, well-drained soils that are slightly acidic and prefers locations with full sun to partial shade. It can serve as an attractive ornamental tree, be used for privacy screening, and is also popular in bonsai cultivation.
Potential issues include infestations of scales, mites, and woolly adelgids; however, it is generally less susceptible to these pests compared to T. caroliniana.
Tsuga sieboldii Feature Summary
Tags
#evergreen
#full sun tolerant
#specimen
#cover plant
#screening
#asian garden
#bird friendly
#partial shade tolerant
#non-toxic for horses
#non-toxic for dogs
#non-toxic for cats
Similar Plants
Tsuga sieboldii Feature Summary
Attributes
Wood used for lumber
Provides seeds for birds and wildlife cover
Woody
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Fruit
Sessile seed cones are borne on outer branches, green ripening to pale brown, to 1 inch long. Pollen cones are 0.1 to 0.2 inches reddish-brown, maturing yellow, crowded together
Green
Brown/Copper
Gold/Yellow
Flowers
The male flowers are very small at only 2 mm, globular in shape and cherry-red. The female flowers are slightly larger at 5 mm, purple in color and oval.
Purple/Lavender
Red/Burgundy
Insignificant
Spring
< 1 inch
Leaves
Loosely arranged alternate needles are flattened, grooved above, 0.3 to 0.5 inches long, widening gradually toward a notched tip and entire margins. Undersides have two white indistinct stomatal bands.
Needled Evergreen
Green
Needles
Alternate
Linear
Entire
< 1 inch
Long-lasting
< 1 inch
Bark
The bark is gray-brown to gray, rough and scaly forming quadrangular plates.
Dark Gray
Dark Brown
Scaly
Square
Stem
Braches a smooth and light brown, aging to gray. Buds are small and pointed.
Brown/Copper
Gray/Silver
Whole Plant Traits
Tree
Needled Evergreen
Conical
Dense
Oval
Slow
Low
Fine
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Acid (<6.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Landscape
Asian Garden
Hedge
Accent
Screen/Privacy
Recreational Play Area
Woodland
Meadow
Slope/Bank
Songbirds
Small Mammals
Tsuga sieboldii Image Gallery
Tsuga sieboldii Attributes
Tsuga sieboldii: Country Or Region Of Origin
Japan
Tsuga sieboldii: Wildlife Value
Provides seeds for birds and wildlife cover
Tsuga sieboldii: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Tsuga sieboldii: Play Value
Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer
Tsuga sieboldii Fruit
Tsuga sieboldii: Fruit Description
Sessile seed cones are borne on outer branches, green ripening to pale brown, to 1 inch long. Pollen cones are 0.1 to 0.2 inches reddish-brown, maturing yellow, crowded together
Tsuga sieboldii: Fruit Color
Brown/Copper
Gold/Yellow
Green
Tsuga sieboldii Flowers
Tsuga sieboldii: Flower Description
The male flowers are very small at only 2 mm, globular in shape and cherry-red. The female flowers are slightly larger at 5 mm, purple in color and oval.
Tsuga sieboldii: Flower Color
Purple/Lavender
Red/Burgundy
Tsuga sieboldii: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Tsuga sieboldii: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Tsuga sieboldii: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Tsuga sieboldii Leaves
Tsuga sieboldii: Leaf Description
Loosely arranged alternate needles are flattened, grooved above, 0.3 to 0.5 inches long, widening gradually toward a notched tip and entire margins. Undersides have two white indistinct stomatal bands.
Tsuga sieboldii: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Tsuga sieboldii: Leaf Color
Green
Tsuga sieboldii: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Tsuga sieboldii: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Tsuga sieboldii: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Tsuga sieboldii: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Tsuga sieboldii: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Tsuga sieboldii: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Tsuga sieboldii: Leaf Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy
Tsuga sieboldii: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Tsuga sieboldii Bark
Tsuga sieboldii: Bark Description
The bark is gray-brown to gray, rough and scaly forming quadrangular plates.
Tsuga sieboldii: Bark Color
Dark Brown
Dark Gray
Tsuga sieboldii: Surface/Attachment
Bumpy
Exfoliating
Fissured
Furrowed
Lenticels
Papery
Patchy
Peeling
Ridges
Scaly
Shaggy
Shiny
Shredding
Smooth
Spongy
Tsuga sieboldii: Bark Plate Shape
Diamond
Irregular
Oval
Rectangle
Round
Square
Tsuga sieboldii Stem
Tsuga sieboldii: Stem Description
Braches a smooth and light brown, aging to gray. Buds are small and pointed.
Tsuga sieboldii: Stem Color
Brown/Copper
Gray/Silver
Tsuga sieboldii: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Tsuga sieboldii Whole Plant Traits
Tsuga sieboldii: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Tsuga sieboldii: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Tsuga sieboldii: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Tsuga sieboldii: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Tsuga sieboldii: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Tsuga sieboldii: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Tsuga sieboldii Cultural Conditions
Tsuga sieboldii: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Tsuga sieboldii: Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Tsuga sieboldii: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Tsuga sieboldii: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Tsuga sieboldii: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
Tsuga sieboldii: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Tsuga sieboldii Landscape
Tsuga sieboldii: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Tsuga sieboldii: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Tsuga sieboldii: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Tsuga sieboldii: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
