False Cypress Care: Tips for Growing a False Cypress Tree
The false cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera) comes in a range of forms to suit your needs, whether you’re searching for a dense hedge, low-growing foundation plant, or unusual specimen plant. It’s likely that you’ve seen some of the most popular false cypress varieties in gardens or landscapes and have heard the colloquial terms “mops” or “gold mops.” Continue reading for more information about Japanese false cypresses and advice on growing them.
A False Cypress: What Is It?
False cypress, a medium- to large-sized evergreen shrub native to Japan, is suitable for landscapes in zones 4 through 8. False cypress varieties can reach heights of 70 feet (21 meters) and widths of 20 to 30 feet (6 to 9 meters) in the wild. Nurseries typically only cultivate dwarf or unusual varieties of Chamaecyparis pisifera for the landscape. The thread-leaf or “mop” cultivars are characterized by pendulous, scaly foliage with colors ranging from chartreuse to gold. These false cypress cultivars typically stay dwarf, growing no more than five feet (1.5 meters) in height, with a medium growth rate. False cypress squarrosa cultivars can reach heights of up to 20 feet (6 meters), and some cultivars, like “Boulevard,” are cultivated especially for their columnar growth pattern. The upright sprays of fine, occasionally feathery, silver-blue scaly foliage adorn Squarrosa false cypress trees.
Growing false cypress trees and shrubs in the landscape has a lot of advantages. Small thread-leaf varieties make accent plants, borders, hedges, and foundation plantings with their distinctive texture and vivid evergreen color. The plant’s overall shaggy, mop-like mounding habit and its foliage, which resembles the strings of a mop, are what gave rise to the common name “mops.” For specimen plants, topiary and pompom varieties are also available; these can make a distinctive bonsai for Zen gardens. The bark of false cypress plants has an appealing shredded texture and is often reddish brown in color, but it is often obscured by the pendulous foliage. You can use the taller blue-toned Squarrosa varieties of false cypress as privacy hedges and specimen plants. These cultivars typically grow more slowly.
Growing a Fake Cypress Tree: A Guide
Although they can withstand some shade, false cypress plants thrive in direct sunlight. More sun is required for the gold varieties to develop their color. In milder regions, they may be vulnerable to winter burns. In spring, winter damage can be removed. Larger false cypress varieties may have dead foliage that persists, necessitating an annual pruning to keep the plants neat and healthy. False cypresses require little care because they are low maintenance plants. Although they can grow in most types of soil, they like it to be slightly acidic. Deep watering is necessary for young plants to establish strong root systems. Well-established plants will become more resilient to heat and drought. You can apply slow-release evergreen fertilizers or evergreen spikes in the spring. Deer and rabbits seldom bother false cypress.
