Golden Hinoke Cypress Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Crippsii'
- Phonetic Spelling
- kam-ay-SIP-a-ris ob-TOO-sa
- Description
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Golden Hinoke Cypress is an evergreen tree from Asia with a broadly conical form. It has spreading branches and pendant sprays of bright showy foliage that bring an attractive golden color to winter gardens, or really year-round. The tree grows upright and the foliage matures to yellow on the interior of the tree with some yellow on the green tips giving it a two-toned effect.
It grows in sun to partial shade on acidic, well-drained, moist loams. The golden color will be the most dramatic in full sun. It will tolerate occasional flooding and browsing by deer. It is slow to moderately growing and can be used as a specimen tree, in bonsai, and around water gardens, ponds and streams. The golden foliage color planted it in the background of a perennial garden makes for a beautiful backdrop.
VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Shade (Medium) Garden - Winter at the NHC Arboretum
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:


- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Chamaecyparis
- Species:
- obtusa
- Family:
- Cupressaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Stem Cutting
- Wildlife Value:
- Deer resistant
- Dimensions:
- Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Erect
- Pyramidal
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Fine
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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)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasional Flooding
- Occasionally Dry
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- 12-24 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5b, 5a, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8b, 8a
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Needles
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Grown for foliage: sprays of tiny feathery, bright golden-yellow scale-like foliage on frond-like spreading branches; green within the plant; good winter color.
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Bark:
- Surface/Attachment:
- Peeling
- Shredding
- Bark Description:
- Shredding, reddish-brown bark which peels off in long narrow strips.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Pond
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Asian Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Garden for the Blind
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Hedge
- Screen/Privacy
- Small groups
- Specimen
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer