Plant DetailShow Menu

Coralliformis Hinoke Cypress Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Coralliformis'

Phonetic Spelling
kam-ay-SIP-a-ris ob-TOO-sa kor-al-li-FOR-mis
Description

‘Coralliformis’ hinoki cypress is a needled, 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.

The plant prefers full sun with moist, well-drained soils. It is not too picky about soil type as long as it's well-drained. It can also tolerate some shade. There are some discrepancies about how tall it gets, but most agree that in 10 years it will grow to about 4 feet and may reach 10 to12 feet at maturity.

The plant  is a slow-growing, bushy cultivar with curled, twisted, intertwining reddish branches and unique thread-like, glossy-green foliage. Plant it in a lawn or rock garden as an accent, screen, or foundation planting.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: The plant has some susceptibility to insect pests such as bagworms and diseases such as juniper blight and root rot.

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.

Profile Video:
See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#evergreen#full sun tolerant#shrub#winter interest#dwarf#bagworms#glossy leaves#foundation planting#screening#partial shade tolerant#lawn planting#accent
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#evergreen#full sun tolerant#shrub#winter interest#dwarf#bagworms#glossy leaves#foundation planting#screening#partial shade tolerant#lawn planting#accent
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Chamaecyparis
    Species:
    obtusa
    Family:
    Cupressaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Woody
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Grafting
    Root Cutting
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Japan
    Dimensions:
    Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Shrub
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Needled Evergreen
    Habit/Form:
    Rounded
    Growth Rate:
    Slow
    Maintenance:
    Low
    Medium
    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, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Description:
    No true fruit - female seed-bearing cones are green when immature turning to brown.
  • Flowers:
    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
    Leaf Feel:
    Glossy
    Leaf Type:
    Needles
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Description:
    Thread-like glossy green needled foliage
  • Bark:
    Bark Color:
    Red/Burgundy
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Red/Burgundy
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Form:
    Zig Zags
    Stem Description:
    Reddish stems
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Lawn
    Landscape Theme:
    Asian Garden
    Rock Garden
    Design Feature:
    Accent
    Foundation Planting
    Screen/Privacy