False Cypress
Uses:
- Specimen Plants
- Hedges
- Vertical Lines to Landscaping
Features:
- Year Round Interest
- Unique Soft Texture
- Mop-like Mounding Habit
Sunlight:
- Partial Sun to Full Sun
- 5+ Hours of Direct Sun
Growing Zones:
- 4-8
- What is My Zone?
False Cypress (Chamaecyparis) are evergreen conifers used as ornamental shrubs, privacy and specimen plants. The bushes have soft foliage and provide year round interest in the garden.
About False Cypress
Genus
Species
Family
Chamaecyparis
Chamaecyparis pisifera (commonly), other species include Chamaecyparis obtusa and Chamaecyparis lawsoniana
Cupressaceae
Common Names:
Sawara Cypress, Japanese False Cypress
Native To:
Japan, Taiwan, North America (depending on species)
Plant Type:
Bushes
Foliage Type:
Evergreen
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
4 to 8
Flower Color:
Insignificant (False Cypress is valued for its foliage rather than flowers)
Flower Bloom Time:
Non-showy; primarily foliage interest year-round
Growth Habit:
Pyramidal, conical, or weeping, depending on the cultivar
Attracts:
Birds (for shelter), but generally not a major attractor for pollinators
Tolerates:
Partial shade, drought (once established), urban pollution
Resists:
Deer, pests, and diseases (relatively resistant)
Growing False Cypress
False Cypress comes in several shapes, sizes, and colors. False Cypress is a great plant to grow because it has fern like, soft to the touch foliage. It is easy to care for, deer resistant, and is a compact dwarf size. Cypress is a nice choice because it offers a lovely soft look all year long. Typically colored in shades of green or golden yellow, this evergreen blends in well with all landscaping and adds a pop of color during the winter months.
The Best Way to Use False Cypress
The versatile Cypress is great for containers, screening, landscapes, borders, specimens or a focal plant. Growing hardy in zones 4-8, in the wild, this evergreen can grow up to 70 feet tall. You will want to look into the dwarf variety, which has a slower growth habit. This plant prefers slightly acidic well drained soil and full to partial sunlight. Planted anywhere on your property, this easy to care for plant offers a soft foliage appearance.
False Cypress Companion Plants
False Cypress works well with most landscape plants that can fill in gardening beds, like coneflowers, viburnum, & black-eyed susans. Here are some of our favorites to plant with false cypress.
