link to Plants index
montage of plants

Asia

• Plant profiles

Citrus Collection

Coffin Trees

Rice-paper Plant

Vireya rhododendron

Japanese Banana

Michelia

Tea


Coffin Trees

The bark of the coffin tree

 

 

Coffin Trees

Towering above all other trees in the Taiwanese forests are Coffin Trees (Taiwania cryptomerioides). Related to the Giant Redwoods of California, they are among the tallest trees in the world.

These evergreen conifers can grow to 65 metres high and have trunks 3 metres in diameter – equivalent dimensions to a vertical stack of 43 cars!

Did you know?
These trees were highly valued by the Chinese who used their strong, resinous wood to make coffins for grand funerals.

The Coffin Tree was brought to England by the famous plant-hunter E. H. Wilson.

 

Up arrowBack up to: temperate house plants

Right arrowOn to: Rice-paper Plant