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Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana'

Phonetic Spelling
kam-ay-SIP-a-ris ob-TOO-sa
Description

‘Nana’ Hinoki cypress is a true dwarf cultivar.  It is an evergreen shrub in the Cupressaceae (cypress) family. The parent plant is native to Japan. The genus name comes from the Greek words chamai, which means dwarf, and kyparissos, which means cypress tree.

‘Nana’ grows well in full sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained soil along with a humid atmosphere. It is very slow-growing and after 10 years may only reach 8 inches tall, although it eventually will reach 3 feet tall and 4 feet wide. It does not transplant well.

Dark-green foliage forms twisting, fan-shaped branchlets in dense, tiered layers and have a sweet fragrance when crushed. At maturity, it forms a compact, flattened globe with horizontal branches. Its small size contributes beautifully to small-scale plantings, including border fronts, rock, and container gardens. 

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Somewhat susceptible to juniper blight, root rot, and insect pests such as bagworms.

VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.

More information on Chamaecyparis obtusa.

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Tags:
#evergreen#full sun tolerant#small spaces#shrub#dwarf#rock garden#fantz#Asian garden#border front#partial shade tolerant#low hedge
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#evergreen#full sun tolerant#small spaces#shrub#dwarf#rock garden#fantz#Asian garden#border front#partial shade tolerant#low hedge
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Chamaecyparis
    Species:
    obtusa
    Family:
    Cupressaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Woody
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Root Cutting
    Dimensions:
    Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Shrub
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Needled Evergreen
    Habit/Form:
    Rounded
    Growth Rate:
    Slow
    Maintenance:
    Low
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Alkaline (>8.0)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    Available Space To Plant:
    3 feet-6 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Description:
    No true fruit - female seed-bearing cones are green when immature turning to brown.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Green
    Flower Description:
    No true flowers - the pollen bearing cones are small and often reddish, growing from the branch tips.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Needled Evergreen
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    White
    Leaf Value To Gardener:
    Fragrant
    Leaf Type:
    Needles
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Opposite
    Leaf Shape:
    Obtuse
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Description:
    Scale-like deep green leaves grow in a dense fan shape
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Container
    Small Space
    Landscape Theme:
    Asian Garden
    Rock Garden
    Design Feature:
    Border
    Foundation Planting