Belfast Botanic Gardens Tree Archive
This is one of a series of short articles about trees in the Belfast Botanic Gardens compiled by the Friends group. The tree tag number relates to the black tree maintenance tags, usually fixed on the tree trunk, 2 to 3m above ground level.
Family: Cupressaceae
Callitropsis nootkatensis (D.Don) Oerst. 'Pendula'
Pendulous Nootka cypress, 'Afghan hound tree'
Black tag 92
54o 34.978N
5o 56.035W
A fine rare tree occurring from S. Alaska to NW. California that was introduced into cultivation in 1884. It received
an Award of Garden Merit 1984 and an Award of Merit in 1988. The species is
a long-lived tree of the cloud forests.
The young example in Belfast Botanic Gardens is already producing
cones. It is planted in the grass to the south of the Tropical Ravine and
should eventually reach about 25m.
Until recently this was in the genus Xanthocyparis. It was moved to the genus Chamaecyparis and then to Callitropsis. You may find it described elsewhere under these names or even under the genus
Cupressus.
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| Afghan Hound tree in Belfast Botanic Gardens |
Pendulous branches of Afghan Hound tree |
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| Male cones (pollen cones) of Afghan Hound tree |
Detail of pollen cones |
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| Female cones of Afghan Hound tree |
Photos taken in Belfast Botanic Gardens in 2010. Copyright: Friends of Belfast Botanic Gardens.
Click here to view the rest of the tree archive