Common Name: Chinese Hemlock

General Information

Tsuga chinensis is an evergreen tree with a pyramidal crown; it can grow up to 50 metres tall. The straight, cylindrical bole can be up to 160cm in diameter[].
Chinese Hemlock is a valuable timber tree in China, where it has been logged extensively in many parts of the country[]. In plantation forestry, it is increasingly planted in the eastern USA as a substitute for Tsuga canadensis and Tsuga caroliniana, because it is resistant to an insect pest that adversely affects the native species[]
The assessment of the species as a whole is driven by the status of its nominate variety, which is widespread and not under any threat, as the two other varieties are scattered within the range of this one. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

E. Asia - central China from Tibet in the west, through Gansu to Zhejiang in the east and south to Yunnan, Taiwan, northern Vietnam

Habitat

Forests, especially on steep cliffs; at elevations from 2,300 - 3,000 metres[]. Mountains, mixed forests, valleys and river basins; at elevations from 1,000 - 3,500 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	35.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Tsuga chinensis is found mainly in the cool, moist temperate zone of China, with a mean annual precipitation of 1,000 - 2,000mm, or even higher in Taiwan[].
An easily grown plant, it thrives best when growing in a deep well-drained soil[]. However, it succeeds in most soils and positions, being especially good on acidic sandy soils[] but also tolerating some lime[] so long as there is plenty of humus in the soil[]. Plants are very shade tolerant when young, but need more sunlight as they grow older[, ]. Plants are thin and poor when grown in dry or exposed places[].
Tsuga chinensis is often very slow growing when cultivated outside its native range - it requirese hot humid summers and fairly mild winters[]. Plants are very liable to injury by late frosts[],and are often shrubby in cultivation[].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[].

Edible Uses

Inner bark - raw or dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickening in soups etc or mixed with cereals when making bread[, , ].

A herbal tea is made from the young shoot tips[, , , , ]. These tips are also an ingredient of 'spruce beer'[].

Medicinal

The bark is astringent, diaphoretic and diuretic[]. A tea made from the inner bark or twigs is helpful in the treatment of kidney or bladder problems, and also makes a good enema for treating diarrhoea[]. It can also be used as a gargle or mouthwash for mouth and throat problems or externally to wash sores and ulcers[].
The powdered bark can be put into shoes for tender or sweaty feet or as a remedy for foot odour[].

Agroforestry Uses:

Tolerant of light trimming, plants can be grown as a hedge[]. This species does not make a good hedge in Britain[].

Other Uses

A resin similar to Abies balsamea is obtained from the trunk[]. It is gathered by incisions in the trunk or by boiling the wood[, , ].

The bark is a source of tannins[]. It contains 8 - 14% tannin[, ]. The inner bark is used according to one report[].

Essential oils are obtained from the roots, trunk, and branches[].

A brown dye is obtained from the bark[, ].

A pitch (called hemlock pitch), is obtained by distillation of the young branches[].

Wood - soft, durable. Used for shingles[]. The timber is used for construction, aircraft, furniture, and in mines[]. The wood is hard and durable and used for construction, shingles for roofing, general carpentry, and joinery[].

Propagation

Seed - it germinates better if given a short cold stratification[, ] and so is best sown in a cold frame in autumn to late winter. It can also be sown in early spring, though it might not germinate until after the next winter. If there is sufficient seed, an outdoor sowing can be made in spring[]. Pot-grown seedlings are best potted up into individual pots once they are large enough to handle - grow them on in a cold frame and plant them out in early summer of the following year. Trees transplant well when they are up to 80cm tall, but they are best put in their final positions when they are about 30 - 45 cm or less tall, this is usually when they are about 5 - 8 years old[]. Larger trees will check badly and hardly put on any growth for several years. This also badly affects root development and wind resistance[].