Chamaecyparis obtusa
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- kam-ee-SIP-a-riss ob-TOO-suh
- Description
-
Hinoki Cypress is a large evergreen tree from Japan with a broad, softly pyramidal shape with spreading, horizontal branches. It prefers moist fertile loams but is adaptable to other soils as long as they are well-drained. It does best in full sun but can tolerate some shade and needs protection from the wind.
The flowers are insignificant and the cones are small and orange-brown. This tree is rarely used in landscapes due to the size but there are many cultivars in smaller sizes better suited to home use.
Seed: Cone
Quick ID Hints:
- Dwarf shrub, sprays fan-shaped, flat
- Leaves all scale-like
- Scales glaucous along edges, below appear as X or Y
Slow growing, difficult to transplant, moist, well drained soil preferred, sunny area preferred.
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 landscapes:
- Garden Treasures Sun and Shade Demo Garden, Buncombe County
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
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'Confucius'
- 'Fernspray'
- 'Fernspray Gold'
- 'Gracilis'
- 'Luteaauea'
- 'Mariesii'
- Sunspray
Bright, creamy golden swirled sprays of foliage. Mature heigh 5’ - 'Tempelhof'
Delicate sprays of soft gold to green foliage 'Coralliformis'
Curled, twisted, intertwining reddish branches 'Crippssii'
Pendant sprays of bright, golden-yellow foliage 'Ericoides'
New foliage is blue-green which matures to glossy light green
Large, bright green, horizontal fans of lush foliage
Dwarf shrub; sprays are fan-shaped, dense, multibranched segments, flat-planed 'Nana Gracilis'
Graceful dark green needles 'Nana Lutea'
Golden-yellow fan-shaped foliage in overlapping layers with green interior foliage 'Reis Dwarf'
Irregular, narrow upright form
Leaves resemble fern fronds 'Verdoni'
Fans of yellow-green foliage that hold color well - 'Fernspray'
- 'Confucius', 'Coralliformis', 'Crippssii', 'Ericoides', 'Fernspray', 'Fernspray Gold', 'Gracilis', 'Kosteri', 'Luteaauea', 'Mariesii', 'Nana', 'Nana Gracilis', 'Nana Lutea', 'Reis Dwarf', Sunspray, 'Tempelhof', 'Tetragona Aurea', 'Verdoni'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
-
'Confucius'
- 'Fernspray'
- 'Fernspray Gold'
- 'Gracilis'
- 'Luteaauea'
- 'Mariesii'
- Sunspray
Bright, creamy golden swirled sprays of foliage. Mature heigh 5’ - 'Tempelhof'
Delicate sprays of soft gold to green foliage 'Coralliformis'
Curled, twisted, intertwining reddish branches 'Crippssii'
Pendant sprays of bright, golden-yellow foliage 'Ericoides'
New foliage is blue-green which matures to glossy light green
Large, bright green, horizontal fans of lush foliage
Dwarf shrub; sprays are fan-shaped, dense, multibranched segments, flat-planed 'Nana Gracilis'
Graceful dark green needles 'Nana Lutea'
Golden-yellow fan-shaped foliage in overlapping layers with green interior foliage 'Reis Dwarf'
Irregular, narrow upright form
Leaves resemble fern fronds 'Verdoni'
Fans of yellow-green foliage that hold color well - 'Fernspray'
- 'Confucius', 'Coralliformis', 'Crippssii', 'Ericoides', 'Fernspray', 'Fernspray Gold', 'Gracilis', 'Kosteri', 'Luteaauea', 'Mariesii', 'Nana', 'Nana Gracilis', 'Nana Lutea', 'Reis Dwarf', Sunspray, 'Tempelhof', 'Tetragona Aurea', 'Verdoni'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Chamaecyparis
- Species:
- obtusa
- Family:
- Cupressaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Has been widely used in Japanese architecture.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Asia
- Play Value:
- Screening
- Dimensions:
- Height: 50 ft. 0 in. - 70 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 10 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Broad
- Pyramidal
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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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
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5b, 5a, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8b, 8a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Orange
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Description:
- Small 0.5 in. orange-brown cones with 8-10 scales
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Insignificant
- Orange
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
-
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- White
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Needles
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Short, closely compressed, green leaves are scale-like in flattened sprays with whitish x-like markings on the underside. Leaves come in 2 scale leaf sizes.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Red/Burgundy
- Surface/Attachment:
- Peeling
- Bark Description:
- Reddish-brown bark will peel on mature trees.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Recreational Play Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Children's Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Specimen
