Broadly conical, evergreen. Withstands wind well, including salt laden winds in Westland. Good Kiwifruit shelter where it is trimmed annually to 0.5m width. Major timber tree in Japan. Less vigorous in colder drier South Island areas.

China. Narrowly conical, deciduous. Long fossil history. Found growing in NW Hupeh in 1941. New seed import brings wider genetic base to NZ. Cypress-like timber is light and durable. Prefers damp to wet sites. Great firebreak tree for gullies.

P.maximowiczii x trichocarpa. Broadly columnar, deciduous, very vigorous male clone, with shiny dark green leaves. Prefers moist gravelly soils, not stagnant water. Impressive in Sth Canterbury plantations. Stands strong winds. Cuttings 40cm, Rooted 1.3m.

Commercial release of a new hybrid 'Chiba' P. maximowiczii x fastigiate P. nigra (backcross). Developed by Alan Wilkinson, it has a narrow fastigiate form to replace the rust infected Lombardy poplar. 'Chiba' refers to Dr. Shigeru Chiba of the Japanese Oji Pulp & Paper Company which supplied the P. maximowiczii parent that is unpalatable to rabbits and possums. Leaves develop yellow autumn colour in May and remain rust free. A small royalty is remitted to the breeder. Cuttings 40cm, Rooted 1.3m.