Daisugi

Daisugi trees
Daisugi trees at Ryōan-ji

Daisugi (台杉) is a Japanese technique related to pollarding, used on Cryptomeria (sugi) trees.[1][2][3] The term roughly translates to "platform cedar".[4]

When applied in a silviculture context, the daisugi method requires trunks to be pruned every 2–4 years in order to maintain the straight, clear grain that they are coveted for.[5][6]

  1. ^ Nōrinshō, S (1926). Forestry of the "Sugi" (Cryptomeria Japonica, Don) and the "Karamatsu" (Larix Leptolepis Gord). Department of Forestry, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. p. 27.
  2. ^ Numata, M. (1974). Flora and vegetation of Japan.
  3. ^ Ohba, K. (1993). "Clonal forestry with sugi (Cryptomeria japonica)". Clonal forestry II. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer. pp. 66–90.
  4. ^ "A Japanese Forestry Technique Prunes Upper Branches to Create a Tree Platform for More Sustainable Harvests". October 27, 2020.
  5. ^ Hassan, Farah (July 2, 2023). "The 600-year-old guide to Japanese sustainable forestry: Daisugi method". Lampoon Magazine. Lampoon Publishing House. Archived from the original on March 25, 2024. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
  6. ^ Stewart, Jessica (2020-07-31). "Incredible 15th-Century Japanese Technique for Growing Ultra-Straight Cedar Trees". My Modern Met. Retrieved 2024-04-10.