Plant Profile: Fernspray False Cypress
Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Filicoides'
Native Range: Southern Japan and Taiwan
Hardiness: USDA Zones 5-8
Mature Size: 8-10 feet tall x 4 feet wide
Exposure: Full Sun
Soil: Loose and well-drained
Ease of Culture: Not Too Hard
The Fernspray False Cypress is a wonderful plant that gets its name from the fact its
flat evergreen foliage spreads along a single plane giving it a sprayed or fan
appearance. Close-ups of the foliage reveal a declicate fern-like texture. The structure of
the plant is very upright and pyramidal in shape with gently drooping branches that give it
a soft look.
In my opinion its architecture and habit make it more suitable as a specimen plant than
massed together for a screen. Fernspray False Cypress should also be sited in a location where
pruning will be not be required. Left un-pruned, the plant should maintain a relative neat and
tight appearance. Use Fernspray False Cypress as a focal point or specimen plant in a Japanese, conifer
or rock garden, to flank entrances or to create height in the garden or along a foundation. Since
these plants are slow growing, they can also be maintained in containers for many years.
Plant in full sun. Some mild bronzing may occur in the winter. Good companion plants include
Chang's Ruby Loropetalum
and
Knockout Rose.
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