Publication #ENH315

Topics: Falsecypress | Southern Trees Fact Sheets | Cupressaceae (taxonomic family)

Chamaecyparis obtusa: Hinoki Falsecypress¹

Edward F. Gilman and Dennis G. Watson²

Introduction

This broad, sweeping, conical-shaped evergreen has graceful, flattened, fern-like branchlets which gently droop at branch tips. Hinoki Falsecypress reaches 50 to 75 feet in height with a spread of 10 to 20 feet, has dark green foliage, and attractive, shredding, reddish-brown bark which peels off in long narrow strips.

Figure 1.

Mature Chamaecyparis obtusa: Hinoki Falsecypress

[Click thumbnail to enlarge.]

General Information

Scientific name: Chamaecyparis obtusa

Pronunciation: kam-eh-SIP-uh-riss ob-TOO-suh

Common name(s): Hinoki Falsecypress

Family: Cupressaceae

USDA hardiness zones: 5A through 8A (Fig. 2)

Origin: not native to North America

Invasive potential: little invasive potential

Uses: screen; Bonsai

Availability: somewhat available, may have to go out of the region to find the tree

Figure 2.

Range

[Click thumbnail to enlarge.]

Description

Height: 40 to 75 feet

Spread: 10 to 20 feet

Crown uniformity: symmetrical

Crown shape: pyramidal

Crown density: dense

Growth rate: moderate

Texture: fine

Foliage

Leaf arrangement: opposite/subopposite (Fig. 3)

Leaf type: simple

Leaf margin: entire

Leaf shape: scale-like

Leaf venation: none, or difficult to see

Leaf type and persistence: evergreen

Leaf blade length: less than 2 inches

Leaf color: green

Fall color: no color change

Fall characteristic: not showy

Flower

Flower color: yellow

Flower characteristics: not showy

Fruit

Fruit shape: round, cone

Fruit length: less than .5 inch

Fruit covering: dry or hard

Fruit color: brown

Fruit characteristics: does not attract wildlife; not showy; fruit/leaves not a litter problem

Trunk and Branches

Trunk/bark/branches: branches droop; showy; typically one trunk; thorns

Pruning requirement: little required

Breakage: resistant

Current year twig color: green, brown

Current year twig thickness: thin

Wood specific gravity: unknown

Culture

Light requirement: full sun

Soil tolerances: clay; sand; loam; acidic; well-drained

Drought tolerance: moderate

Aerosol salt tolerance: unknown

Other

Roots: not a problem

Winter interest: no

Outstanding tree: no

Ozone sensitivity: unknown

Verticillium wilt susceptibility: resistant

Pest resistance: resistant to pests/diseases

Use and Management

Hinoki Falsecypress should be grown in full sun on moist, well-drained soil, in areas of moderate to high humidity, and preferably where the trees can be protected from harsh winds. It is fairly free of pests and diseases.

Propagation is by cuttings.

There are many cultivars, some quite dwarf. Other cultivars have excellent foliage coloration or unusual growth habit. Cultivars include: `Aurea' - golden foliage: `Caespitosa' - rare, miniature, about six inches tall; `Compacta' - dwarf, about three feet tall, dense, conical; `Coralliformis' - branchlets reddish and contorted; `Crippsii' - broad pyramid with spreading branches and golden foliage; `Erecta' - columnar habit; `Ericoides' - low, blue-gray foliage, `Filicoides' - fern-like; `Gracilis' - compact growth habit, tips of branchlets pendulous; `Kosteri' - dwarf, three to four feet tall, branch tips curved; `Mariesii' - dwarf, foliage variegated with yellowish white; `Nana' - very dwarf, height and spread of two feet; `Pygmaea' - dwarf, two feet tall, wider than tall; `Stoneham' - slow, dwarf, tiered branching; `Tetragona' - slow, dwarf, erect.

Pests

Juniper scale can be controlled by applying pesticides when the crawlers are active.

The bagworm webs dead foliage and other debris together to make a nest. The covering makes the insect difficult to control. The nests can be picked off by hand.

Diseases

Blight can be a problem on young plants in nurseries or old plants in landscape situations. In young plants, branch tips turn brown and die back until the whole branch or young tree is killed. Trees over five years old are less susceptible. When older trees in landscapes are affected by tip blight, entire trees are seldom killed.

Tip blight can infect trees during wet weather. The disease causes sooty pustules on the leaves, bark and cones.

Scorch may look like a disease but is caused by excessive direct sun, freezing stress, drought or mites. Freezing stress can be prevented by shading small plants in winter.

Footnotes

This document is ENH315, one of a series of the Environmental Horticulture, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date November 1993. Revised December 2006. Reviewed May 2011. Visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

Edward F. Gilman, professor, Environmental Horticulture Department; Dennis G. Watson, former associate professor, Agricultural Engineering Department, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville FL 32611.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, Dean.

Chamaecyparis obtusa: Hinoki Falsecypress1