Kim BrattainFounder/ CEO, Kim Brattain Media · Award-winning Corporate and Documentary Film Producer

How to Identify the Cryptomeria Tree | Charlotte Tree ID

3 Aug 2026 · 1 min

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0:54

In this brief, conversational video, narrator Ken introduces the Cryptomeria tree, highlighting its distinctive tiny pine‑cone‑like fruit, its classification in the cypress family, and its typical mature height of up to about 70 feet. He points out a row of Cryptomeria used by landscapers as dense hedges or barriers, noting that the dense foliage provides valuable habitat for songbirds and other wildlife. Ken also shows the tree’s pollen, explains that the name "Cryptomeria" means “hidden parts,” and frames the tree as a noteworthy feature of Charlotte’s “City of Trees."

Chapters

Hey there, I'm Ken, and this is Cryptomeria. And look at these tiny little pine cones. It's interesting, isn't it? We're used to seeing bigger pine cones, and this is almost a little miniature version of that. It's a member of the cypress family and can grow up to 70 feet in height. You can see behind me this row of Cryptomeria. Landscapers use it as kind of a hedge or a barrier, and the density makes it a wonderful habitat for songbirds and other wildlife for protection. Watch this. If you're on a nature walk with your friends, this will impress them. There comes the pollen off that Cryptomeria. If you ever get in Jeopardy and the question comes up, Cryptomeria means hidden parts. So you've learned something new today. Cryptomeria, one of the jewels in the City of Trees.