Herb: Chinese Swamp Cypress


Latin name: Glyptostrobus pensilis


Synonyms: Glyptostrobus heterophyllus, Glyptostrobus lineatus, Glyptostrobus sinensis, Taxodium heterophyllum


Family: Taxodiaceae (Redwood Family)



Medicinal use of Chinese Swamp Cypress:

Antidote, oxytocic. Cures ascites, treats animal bites and dropsy of pregnant women. A decoction of the shoots is used in the treatment of fever, hepatitis, skin complaints etc. It is said to be an anodyne for animal bites.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Tree

Height:
10 m
(33 feet)

Flowering:
January
to March

Habitat of the herb:

River deltas, etc., on flooded or waterlogged soil in full sun near sea level. This species is usually planted and is possibly extinct in the wild.

Other uses of Chinese Swamp Cypress:

The roots have high buoyancy and are used to make life buoys, bottle corks, etc. Tannins extracted from the bark and the cone scales are used in tanning, dyeing, and fishing nets. Having an extensive root system, it is often planted in wet places for erosion control, to stabilize river banks and paddy field walls. It is also used as a windbreak. Wind-felled trees are used in constructing buildings, bridges and furniture.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - we have no information for this species but suggest sowing the seed in a cold greenhouse in late winter. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Give the plants some protection from the cold for their first few winters outdoors. Cuttings. Again, no details but we would try taking cuttings of mature wood in the late autumn or winter in a frame.

Cultivation of Chinese Swamp Cypress:

River deltas, etc., on flooded or waterlogged soil in full sun near sea level. This species is usually planted and is possibly extinct in the wild.

Known hazards of Glyptostrobus pensilis:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.