Thuja plicata – Western Red Cedar

General Information Common Name  Western Red Cedar, Arbor-vitae Scientific Name  Chamaecyparis leylandii Sun Tolerance  Full Sun Height  65 - 70 (213 - 230 ft) Spread  10 -15 m (33-50 ft) Growth Rate  Fast Bloom Time  Spring Color  Green, Flower Color  Yellow Type  Tree Native  Africa, Asia, Europe, USA.

Classification Kingdom  Plantae – Plants Subkingdom  Tracheobionta – Vascular plants Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants Division  Coniferophyta – Conifers Class  Pinopsida Subclass  Order  Pinales Family  Cupressaceae - Cypress Family Genus  Thuja Spach. –  Arobor Vitae Species  T. plicata

Thuja plicata – Western Red Cedar

Thuja plicata commonly known as Western Red Cedar also known as Arbor-vitae is native to western North America where it was the tree used by the Haida tribe of Red Indians for canoes and the carving of totem poles. It is fine and popular hedge-plant, but also plays an important role in silviculture, being well known as a tall fast growing tree with an erect leader and upward curving branches. When grown in the open it has a formal pyramidal habit, densely foliaged to the base. It is a large to very large tree, ranging up to 65 to 70 m (213 to 230 ft) tall and 3 to 4 m (9.8 to 13.1 ft) in trunk diameter, exceptionally even larger. 

The spray-like foliage, which resembles the flattish fronds of a fern, surrounds the shoots so that no buds are visible and is made up of overlapping scale-like needles (more correctly, leaves) which are broad more so than Lawson Cypress) except those on the edges of shoots, which are narrow. The foliage is yellow-green to dark green, sometimes bronze on top, paler underneath. The shoots have a distinctive resinous, sweet fragrance when crushed. The individual leaves are 1 to 4 mm (0.039 to 0.157 in) long and 1 to 2 mm (0.039 to 0.079 in) broad on most foliage sprays, but up to 12 mm (0.47 in) long on strong-growing lead shoots.

Thuja plicata – Western Red Cedar

The Flowers of both sexes are found on the same tree. They are usually numerous and appear in March. The small oval dull crimson males turn yellow with pollen. The minute females have scales of pale green, tipped with black. The slender cone-lets develop into small upright green cones resembling a miniature Grecian urn about 1-2 cm tall, comprised of leathery scales which turn brown before separating close to their base thereby releasing the narrow-winged seeds in early Autumn.

The bark is thin, cinnamon-red on young stems. Later it turns to grey or brown, and when mature develops irregular shallow fissures which divide the bark into plates which are shed, exposing the red bark underneath. The sapwood is pale yellowish, The heartwood at first bright orange-brown, weathering to an attractive silver-grey. The wood is soft, light, and naturally durable – but under European climatic conditions exposed woodwork needs preservative surface treatment about every five years. It proves valuable for joinery, greenhouse and shed construction, bungalows, ladder poles, fencing and roofing shingles.

Thuja is a very popular hedge-plant and some of its varieties make fine ornamental trees. Silviculturists like it for its quick growth and heavy volume and for its suitability as a good under-plant. It is also very famous as Christmas Trees.

Thuja plicata – Western Red Cedar

Young plant of Western Red Cedar

Leaves of Western Red Cedar

Western Red Cedar Leaves

Thuja plicata Leaves

Male Flowers of Western Red Cedar

Thuja plicata Male Flowers

Female Cones of Western Red Cedar

Thuja plicata Female Cones

Mature Cones of Western Red Cedar

Thuja plicata Mature Cones

Western Red Cedar Cones

Bark of Western Red Cedar

Thuja plicata Bark

Trunk of Western Red Cedar

Thuja plicata Trunk

Thuja plicata as Ornamental Plant

Western Red Cedar Ornamental Plants

Thuja plicata Ornamental Plants

Western Red Cedar as Christmas Trees

Thuja plicata – Western Red Cedar

Thuja plicata – Western Red Cedar

Video of Western Red Cedar:

Sequoiadendron giganteum – Big Tree – Mammoth Tree

General Information Common Name  Big Tree, Mammoth Tree Scientific Name  Sequoiadendron giganteum Sun Tolerance  Full Sun Height  95 m (311 ft) Spread  20 - 25 m (66 - 82 ft) Growth Rate  Fast Bloom Time  Spring Color  Green, Flower Color  Yellow Type  Tree Native  USA, Asia, Europe.

Classification Kingdom  Plantae – Plants Subkingdom  Tracheobionta – Vascular plants Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants Division  Coniferophyta – Conifers Class  Pinopsida Subclass  Order  Pinales Family  Cupressaceae – Cypress family Genus  Sequoiadendron  –  Giant Sequoia Species  S. giganteum

Sequoiadendron giganteum - Mammoth Tree

Sequoiadendron giganteum commonly known as Mammoth Tree also called Big Tree or Wellingtonia is the largest and long living tree. The Wellingtonia provides the largest tree in the world – over 50,000 cubic feet (over 1,000 tons) in the Sequoin National Park in the Sierra Nevada of California. It lives for upwards of three thousand years, yet it is second in longevity to the scruffy, distorted Bristle-cone Pine, Pinus aristata Engelm. Many people will recall the Wellingtonia as the tree through which one could drive a car! Its native habitat is now some seventy isolated groves at between five thousand feet and eight thousand feet amid the sierras of northern California, where many of the trees stand as huge orange-colored columns perplexing the imagination and almost defying the skill of the photographer. The tree was first introduced into Europe in 1853.

The world's largest single trees and largest living thing by volume. Giant sequoias grow to an average height of 50–85 m (164–279 ft) and 6–8 m (20–26 ft) in diameter. Record trees have been measured to be 94.8 m (311 ft) in height. Claims of 17 m (56 ft) diameter have been touted by taking an author's writing out of context, but the widest known at chest height is closer to 8.2 m (27 ft).  The young shoots remain covered by the needles (more correctly, leaves) for three or four years. The minute scale less buds are hidden by the foliage. The needles are lance-shaped ‘scales’ which completely clothe the twigs, with a four-pointed tip, and when crushed have a minty smell.

Both sexes of flowers are on the same tree, the small club-shaped yellow males in clusters at the twig tips, and the pale green globular females, bearing spine-tipped bracts, further back. The cones are egg-shaped, made up of thick flat-surfaced green scales which do not overlap. They swell to 2.5 – 5 cm long, becoming reddish-brown, and mature in the second autumn, releasing winged seeds. Many of the empty cones persist on the tree for indefinite periods.

Sequoiadendron giganteum - Mammoth Tree

The fibrous bark is reddish-brown (‘fox-red’) to blackish-brown or grey, soft and spongy, becoming very thick and deeply fluted with age. Underneath is an inner layer that is thin and firm. Where side branches have fallen away, distinct cavities are left in the bark. The tree is conical in shape, with a tapering and broadly buttressed trunk, and with drooping branches and a narrow crown. The wood has a thin zone of pale yellow sapwood, and a reddish-brown heartwood. It is soft, strong, and naturally durable; when from time to time and individual tree is felled the wood is used for general planking, posts and garden furniture.

The towering Wellingtonia is conspicuous as an avenue and park tree, and stands out un-mistakenly in the distant landscape. A few groves as at Westonbirt in Gloucestershire, indicate that the tree might be successful in European country in plantation form, but in general silviculturists have not planted it, perhaps chiefly on count of the high cost of plants.

The popular English name, Wellingtonia, was given in honor of the Duke of Wellington (1769-1852). Americans call it the Big Tree or Mammoth Tree.

Young Plant of Mammoth Tree

Sequoiadendron giganteum Young Plant

Leaves of Mammoth Tree

Sequoiadendron giganteum Leaves

Male Flowers of Mammoth Tree

Sequoiadendron giganteum Male Flowers

Female Cones of Mammoth Tree

Sequoiadendron giganteum Female Cones

Mammoth Tree Female Cone

Mammoth Tree Mature Cone

Male & Female Flowers of Mammoth Tree

Bark of Mammoth Tree

Sequoiadendron giganteum Bark

Log of Mammoth Tree

Sequoiadendron giganteum Log

Mammoth Tree Log

Mammoth Tree as Ornamental Plant

Sequoiadendron giganteum ornamental Plant

Mammoth Tree Ornamental Plant

Ornamental Plants of Mammoth Tree

Sequoiadendron giganteum - Mammoth Tree

Sequoiadendron giganteum - Mammoth Tree

Sequoiadendron giganteum - Mammoth Tree

The Video about Mammoth Tree:

Andrographis paniculata – Kalomegh

General Information Common Name  Kalomegh, Green Chireta Scientific Name  Andrographis paniculata Sun Tolerance  Full Sun Height  30 - 110 cm (12 - 43 in) Spread  up to 40 cm (15 in) Growth Rate  Moderate Bloom Time  Spring Color  Green Flower Color  White Type  Herbs Native   Asia

Classification Kingdom  Plantae – Plants Subkingdom  Tracheobionta – Vascular plants Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants Division  Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants Class  Magnoliopsida - Dicotyledons Subclass  Asteridae Order  Scrophulariales Family  Acanthaceae - Acanthus Family Genus  Andrographis - False Water Willow Species  A. paniculate

Andrographis paniculata commonly known as Kalomegh mean Dark Cloud also known as Moha-tikta means King of Bitter is native to Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka.

Andrographis paniculata – Kalomegh 

It is erect or sub erect annual herbaceous plant grows 30 – 110 cm (12 – 43 in) in height with articulated shoots. It grows in moist and shady places. The stems quadrangular, glabrous with longitudinal furrows and wings along the angles. Petioles up to 1 cm long and the lance-shaped leaves hairless blades measuring up to 12 cm (5 in) long and 1.5 – 2.5 cm (0.5 – 1 in) wide, entire, acuminate, 4 – 6 lateral vined, color dark green.

The small flowers in lax panicles, up to 9 cm (3.5 in) long. Pedicels up 5 mm long, glandular pubescent. Bracts 2 mm long, lanceolate. Sepals up to 4 mm long, linear-lanceolate, segments equal, glandular-pubescent on the outside. Corolla up to 16 mm (6.5 in) long, white, lower lip deeply 3 lobed with deep purplish marking inside at the base, upper lip notched or 2 toothed. Stamens 2, filaments hairy, exerted, anther cells oblong, base bearded. Ovary seated on a small disc, style slender, stigma minutely bifid. The fruit is a capsule up to 2 cm (0.80 in) long and 4 mm wide, linear-oblong, acute at base, pointed at apex. The seeds are 2 mm long, sub quadrate, yellowish-brown in color.

It is mainly distributed South Asian country like as India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. It can be found in a variety of habitats, such as plains, hillsides, coastlines, and also cultivated or wildly grows areas such as roadsides, farms, and wastelands. The herb is some species in northern parts of India, Java, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Hong Kong, Thailand, Brunei, Singapore, the West Indies, and elsewhere in the Americas.

Mostly the leaves and roots were used for medicinal purposes also the whole plant is used in some cases. Very widely used as a medicine in liver complaints and as a febrifuge. Commonly substituted for Chirata (Swertia chirata Ham.) by the crude drug dealers. It has been used in Siddha and Ayurvedic medicine, and promoted as a dietary supplement for cancer prevention and cure.

The seeds should be conserved in seed banks, and large-scale cultivation should be taken up to ease pressure on the wild population. The seeds are sown during May and June. The seedlings are transplanted at a distance of 60 cm and cultivation near homesteads.

Leaves of Kalomegh 

Andrographis paniculata Leaves

Flower of Kalomegh 

Andrographis paniculata Leaves

Kalomegh Leaves

Flower of Andrographis paniculata 

Andrographis paniculata – Kalomegh Flower

Fruit of Kalomegh 

Seeds Capsule of Kalomegh 

Andrographis paniculata Seeds Capsuls 

Andrographis paniculata Fruits

Bark of Kalomegh 

Andrographis paniculata Barks 

Kalomegh as Commercial Cultivation

Andrographis paniculata – Kalomegh 

Andrographis paniculata – Kalomegh 

Kalomegh - Chirata

Chirata

Andrographis paniculata – Kalomegh 

Video of Kalomegh: