Chamaecyparis formosensis (Formosan cypress, Taiwan cypress, Taiwan red cypress; Chinese: ç´ æªÂ/红桧 hóngguì, Taiwan pron. hóngkuài) is a species of Chamaecyparis, endemic to Taiwan, where it grows in the central mountains at moderate to high altitudes of 1000âÂÂ2900 m. It is threatened by habitat loss and over-cutting for its valuable timber.
It is a slow-growing, but long-lived and ultimately large to very large coniferous tree growing to 55âÂÂ60 m tall with a trunk up to 7 m in diameter. The bark is red-brown, vertically fissured and with a stringy texture. The foliage is arranged in flat sprays; adult leaves are scale-like, 1âÂÂ3 mm long, with pointed tips, green both above and below with only an inconspicuous stomatal band at the base of each scale-leaf; they are arranged in opposite decussate pairs on the shoots. The juvenile leaves, found on young seedlings, are needle-like, 4âÂÂ8 mm long, soft and glaucous bluish-green. The cones are ovoid-oblong, 6âÂÂ12 mm long and 4âÂÂ8 mm diameter, with 8âÂÂ16 scales arranged in opposite pairs, maturing in autumn about 7âÂÂ8 months after pollination.
It is most closely related to the Japanese Chamaecyparis pisifera (sawara cypress), which differs in smaller globose cones 4âÂÂ8 mm long with 6âÂÂ10 scales.
The wood is soft, very resistant to decay, and strongly scented; it is highly valued in traditional Taiwanese building, particularly for temples and shrines. This has led to excessive harvesting, resulting in the species now being endangered. A small number of the oldest and largest specimens are protected as national monuments, but much of the general population of the species still remains unprotected.
Essential oil distilled from its wood is uniquely scented and highly valued.
The Sacred Tree of Alishan was a 3,000-year-old Taiwan red cypress which died from a lightning strike in 1956. The trunk remained standing until 1998. Due to its sacred status it was left alone by the Japanese when they deforested the surrounding area.