喜(xi)光樹(shu)種,喜(xi)溫涼、溫暖氣(qi)候及(ji)濕潤土壤。在華北及(ji)長江下游(you)海拔500米(mi)以下,中上游(you)海拔1000米(mi)以下排水良好之山地(di)可(ke)選用造林。
產于內蒙古烏拉山(shan)(shan)、河(he)北(bei)、山(shan)(shan)西(xi)、山(shan)(shan)東、江(jiang)蘇、浙江(jiang)、福建、安(an)徽、江(jiang)西(xi)、河(he)南(nan)、陜西(xi)南(nan)部、甘(gan)肅南(nan)部、四川、湖(hu)北(bei)西(xi)部、湖(hu)南(nan)、貴(gui)州、廣東、廣西(xi)北(bei)部及云南(nan)等(deng)地(di)。生于中性(xing)土、鈣質土及微(wei)酸性(xing)土上,各地(di)亦多(duo)栽培,西(xi)藏也有栽培。朝鮮、日本(ben)也有分布。華北(bei)及長(chang)江(jiang)流(liu)域各地(di)多(duo)栽培作園林樹種。
喬木,高達20米(mi)(mi),胸(xiong)徑達3.5米(mi)(mi);樹(shu)皮(pi)深灰色,縱(zong)裂,成(cheng)條片開裂;幼(you)樹(shu)的枝(zhi)條通(tong)常(chang)(chang)斜(xie)上(shang)伸展,形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)成(cheng)尖(jian)塔(ta)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)樹(shu)冠,老則(ze)(ze)下(xia)部(bu)大枝(zhi)平展,形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)成(cheng)廣圓(yuan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)的樹(shu)冠;樹(shu)皮(pi)灰褐(he)色,縱(zong)裂,裂成(cheng)不規則(ze)(ze)的薄片脫落;小(xiao)(xiao)枝(zhi)通(tong)常(chang)(chang)直(zhi)或稍成(cheng)弧狀(zhuang)彎曲,生鱗(lin)葉(xie)的小(xiao)(xiao)枝(zhi)近(jin)圓(yuan)柱形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)或近(jin)四棱(leng)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),徑1-1.2毫(hao)米(mi)(mi)。葉(xie)二(er)型,即刺葉(xie)及(ji)鱗(lin)葉(xie);刺葉(xie)生于(yu)幼(you)樹(shu)之上(shang),老齡樹(shu)則(ze)(ze)全為鱗(lin)葉(xie),壯齡樹(shu)兼有(you)刺葉(xie)與鱗(lin)葉(xie);生于(yu)一(yi)年生小(xiao)(xiao)枝(zhi)的一(yi)回分(fen)枝(zhi)的鱗(lin)葉(xie)三(san)葉(xie)輪生,直(zhi)伸而緊密,近(jin)披針形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),先(xian)端微(wei)漸尖(jian),長2.5-5毫(hao)米(mi)(mi),背面(mian)近(jin)中(zhong)部(bu)有(you)橢圓(yuan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)微(wei)凹的腺(xian)體;刺葉(xie)三(san)葉(xie)交互輪生,斜(xie)展,疏松,披針形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),先(xian)端漸尖(jian),長6-12毫(hao)米(mi)(mi),上(shang)面(mian)微(wei)凹,有(you)兩(liang)條白粉帶。雌雄(xiong)(xiong)異(yi)株(zhu),稀同株(zhu),雄(xiong)(xiong)球(qiu)花黃色,橢圓(yuan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),長2.5-3.5毫(hao)米(mi)(mi),雄(xiong)(xiong)蕊5-7對,常(chang)(chang)有(you)3-4花藥。球(qiu)果近(jin)圓(yuan)球(qiu)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),徑6-8毫(hao)米(mi)(mi),兩(liang)年成(cheng)熟,熟時暗褐(he)色,被白粉或白粉脫落,有(you)1-4粒種(zhong)子(zi);種(zhong)子(zi)卵圓(yuan)形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),扁(bian),頂端鈍,有(you)棱(leng)脊及(ji)少數樹(shu)脂槽;子(zi)葉(xie)2枚,出土,條形(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing),長1.3-1.5厘米(mi)(mi),寬約1毫(hao)米(mi)(mi),先(xian)端銳尖(jian),下(xia)面(mian)有(you)兩(liang)條白色氣孔帶,上(shang)面(mian)則(ze)(ze)不明顯。
枝向上直展,密生(sheng),樹冠圓(yuan)柱狀或(huo)圓(yuan)柱狀尖塔形(xing)(xing);葉(xie)多為刺(ci)形(xing)(xing)稀(xi)間(jian)有鱗葉(xie)。
常見(jian)病(bing)害有(you)圓(yuan)柏梨(li)銹病(bing)、圓(yuan)柏蘋果銹病(bing)及圓(yuan)柏石楠銹病(bing)等。這些病(bing)以(yi)塔(ta)柏為越(yue)冬寄主。對塔(ta)柏本身雖傷害不太嚴(yan)重,但對梨(li)、蘋果、海棠、石楠等則危害頗(po)巨,故應(ying)注意防(fang)治,最好(hao)避免在蘋果、梨(li)園等附近種植。
心材淡褐(he)紅色(se),邊材淡黃褐(he)色(se),有香氣,堅韌致密,耐腐(fu)力強。可作房(fang)屋建筑、家(jia)具、文具及工(gong)藝品等(deng)用材;樹根(gen)、樹干及枝葉可提取柏(bo)木腦的(de)原料及柏(bo)木油;枝葉入(ru)藥(yao),能(neng)祛風散寒,活血(xue)消腫、利(li)尿;種(zhong)子可提潤滑油;為普(pu)遍栽培的(de)庭園樹種(zhong)。
檜柏材(cai)質致(zhi)密,堅硬,桃紅色,美觀(guan)而(er)有芳香,極耐久,故宜供(gong)作圖(tu)板(ban)、棺木、鉛筆、家具或建(jian)筑(zhu)材(cai)料。種子可(ke)榨油,或入(ru)藥。因其生長速度中等而(er)偏慢,故除作觀(guan)賞外,尚(shang)少用(yong)作大規模(mo)造林者。