SafePlants

China Fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata)

Considerations for Pets

• The leaves are described as rigid and needle-like.
• The tree produces reddish bark.

Considerations for Children

• The leaves are described as rigid and needle-like.
• The tree produces reddish bark.

Scientific Name and Common Names

• Scientific Name: Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lambert) Hooker
• Common Names: China Fir, Chinese Fir, Chinese Cedar (though technically neither a cedar nor a fir)
• Luanta-fir (Cunninghamia konishii)

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Genus: Cunninghamia
• Family: Cupressaceae (Cypress family)
• Synonyms: Pinus lanceolata Lamb., Roxopitys cunninghamii Nelson, Cunninghamia chinensis Vos, C. sinensis Rich
• Cunninghamia R. Brown (Cupressaceae).
• Taxonomic Serial No.: 500227.

Distribution and Habitat

• Native to China and Taiwan.
• Cunninghamia lanceolata grows at higher elevations in many areas of Southeast Asia, particularly in southern China, Laos.
• Cunninghamia konishii is found in north and central Taiwan and in a small area along the Lao PDR/ Vietnam border.
• Records from Laos and northern parts of Viet Nam are likely to represent cultivated or naturalized trees, or are misidentifications of Cunninghamia konishii.

Ecological Role

• Generally regarded as the basal clade in Cupressaceae, the most "primitive" surviving member.
• Important timber species, accounting for 20-30% of total commercial timber production in China.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

• Evergreen coniferous trees.
• Cunninghamia lanceolata is an evergreen tree reaching up to 30 meters tall.
• Strong, heavy trunk.
• Crown is pyramidal or dark green.
• Branches in whorls of 5-6.
• Leaves are rigid, narrowly lance-shaped or linear, dark green, paler beneath, arranged in two ranks.
• Fast-growing conifer.
• Horizontal branches.
• Broad needle-like leaves that turn amber in the winter.
• Reddish bark.
• Can reach 16' tall.

Genetic and Cytological Information

• Molecular genetic evidence suggests that C. lanceolata and C. konishii may be the same species.
• Complete chloroplast genome sequence of Cunninghamia lanceolata is available (GenBank accession: NC_021437.1).

Quirky Facts

• Sometimes billed as Chinese Cedar or Chinese Fir, the tree known as Cunninghamia lanceolata is, in fact, neither.
• Cunninghamia lanceolata 'Glauca', an attractive blue form, reportedly has better winter hardiness (to –10 F.) than the species and is a better choice for St. Louis.
• China Fir, Cunninghamia lanceolata, is even happier than a yew with such treatment—delirious, even—because its normal habit is, as you see.

Interactions with Other Organisms

• Luanta-fir (Cunninghamia konishii), is an outcrossing, long-lived conifer.

Further Information

• The Plant List includes information on 9 scientific plant names of species rank for the genus Cunninghamia.
• Farjon, A. 2010. A Handbook of the World's Conifers. Koninklijke Brill
• Discover Life offers information on the biology, natural history, ecology, identification, and distribution of Cunninghamia lanceolata.
• ARKive has Cunninghamia photos and facts.