Appearance

Growth form

The typical tree grows about 50–60 ft (15–18 m) tall, but garden forms can stay much smaller.

Leaves

Flattened sprays carry small, scale-like leaves. Threadleaf forms have slender, drooping shoots; other selections have blue or yellow foliage.

Fruit

Small round cones form on short stalks.

Look-alikes

Hinoki cypressChamaecyparis obtusa

On typical foliage, Sawara has sharper leaf tips and broader white marks beneath the sprays. Cultivars can change these features, so check several branchlets and any cones.

Why they get mixed up · Both have flattened sprays of tiny scale-like leaves.

Where it lives

Typical habitats

• Gardens
• Arboretums

Range

Native to Japan and grown as an ornamental in the United States, including the Chicago area.

Preferred conditions

In the Chicago area, it grows best in sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained soil.

Growing it

Care

'Golden Mop' stays about 2–3 ft (0.6–0.9 m) tall, while 'Boulevard' can reach 12–15 ft (3.7–4.6 m).

Name and classification

Varieties and forms

'Filifera', 'Golden Mop', and 'Boulevard' are cultivated forms of this species.

Conservation

IUCN Red List

LCLeast Concern·Low risk of extinction