Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea'
     
Tried and True Recommended by 5 Professionals
Common Name: Japanese falsecypress
Type: Needled evergreen
Family: Cupressaceae
Zone: 4 to 8
Garden Location: Lois Whiteside Franklin Flower Trial Garden
Height: 6 to 20 feet
Spread: 3 to 7 feet
Bloom Time: Non-flowering
Bloom Description: Non-flowering
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low
Leaves: Colorful, Evergreen
Tolerates: Drought

Culture

Easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Best in part shade. Prefers moist, fertile soils. Avoid wet, poorly-drained soils, however. Shelter from wind.

Noteworthy Characteristics

‘Filifera Aurea’ is a Sawara cypress cultivar that is noted for its drooping yellow foliage. This is a dense, semi-dwarf, evergreen shrub that typically grows as a broad cone. It is slow growing, often reaching only 6-7’ tall in 20 years, but may eventually reach 15-20’ tall in optimum conditions. Features golden, weeping, thread-like foliage that provides excellent texture and color to foundation plantings. Foliage is usually quite attractive in winter. Small cones appear only on mature plants. Peeling, reddish-brown bark develops on mature branches. This cultivar, as well as other Filifera cultivars, is also often commonly called threadleaf false cypress in recognition of the thread-like foliage.

Plant of Merit

This broadly conical evergreen is noted for its weeping, thread-like, golden foliage that provides excellent texture, contrast and color to foundation plantings, shrub borders and other sunny areas of the landscape. In ideal conditions, it will grow slowly to as much as 10-15 feet tall over 30 years. Small cones appear only on mature plants. Peeling, reddish-brown bark develops on mature branches.

Problems

No serious insect or disease problems. Some susceptibility to juniper blight, root rot and certain insect pests such as bagworms.

Garden Uses

Rock gardens, foundation plantings. Excellent small specimen.