Hinoki Falsecypress Chamaecyparis obtusa
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- kam-ee-SIP-a-riss ob-TOO-suh
- Description
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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.
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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'Crippssii'
- 'Fernspray'
- 'Fernspray Gold'
- 'Luteaauea'
- 'Mariesii'
- 'Tempelhof'
Dwarf shrub; sprays are fan-shaped, dense, multibranched segments, flat-planed - 'Fernspray'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
-
'Crippssii'
- 'Fernspray'
- 'Fernspray Gold'
- 'Luteaauea'
- 'Mariesii'
- 'Tempelhof'
Dwarf shrub; sprays are fan-shaped, dense, multibranched segments, flat-planed - 'Fernspray'
- Tags:
-
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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
- 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, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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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:
- 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