Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Sungold'
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Tried and True Recommended by 4 Professionals
Common Name: Japanese falsecypress
Type: Needled evergreen
Family: Cupressaceae
Zone: 3 to 7
Garden Location: Jordan Charitable Foundation Ornamental Shade Garden and Overlook, Mildred Lane Kemper Terrace Garden
Height: 3 to 8 feet
Spread: 4 to 12 feet
Bloom Time: Non-flowering
Bloom Description: Non-flowering
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low
Leaves: Colorful, Evergreen
Other: Winter Interest
Tolerates: Drought

Culture

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

Noteworthy Characteristics

This Sawara cypress cultivar is a mounding, globose to broadly conical, dwarf evergreen shrub which features golden, fine-textured, thread-like foliage on stringy, weeping branches. New growth foliage emerges bright gold but eventually matures to lime green. Very slow growing, typically reaching only 3-5' tall in 10 years. May eventually reach a mature size of 8' tall and 12' wide, but can easily be kept smaller with minimal pruning. Small plants produce few if any cones. This plant is synonymous with and sometimes sold as C. p. var. filifera 'Sungold' or as C. p. 'Filifera Sungold'.

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 specimen. Golden foliage provides year-round interest.

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