Plant false cypress in a hole two to three times as wide as the root ball, with the top of the ball slightly above grade, and space it for the mature width.
Space to the mature width, and set the root ball slightly high
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| When | Spring or fall while you can water | Do not plant into a midsummer drought you cannot soak |
| Hole | Two to three times as wide as the root ball, and no deeper | Do not dig a tight, deep cup that holds water on the crown |
| Height | Top of the root ball level or 1 inch above the soil | Do not bury the flare |
| Spacing | Mature width on the tag — a dwarf mound is not a Lawson column | Do not stack plants 2 feet apart for a quick wall |
| Roots | Tease or slice a circling nursery mass | Do not drop a potbound ball into the hole as-is |
Know the mature spread before you dig. [1] This plant is hard to move later. Choose the site once, then dig. [2]
How far apart should you plant false cypress?
Use the mature width, not the nursery pot. A dwarf hinoki mound needs a few feet. A Lawson column needs the mature spread on the tag. A Sawara mop spreads wider than it looks in the pot.
How to plant false cypress
Work one hole at a time: confirm the kind, set the ball, space the plant, then water once.
- Confirm hinoki, Lawson, or Sawara on the tag so the spacing matches the outline. If the tag is only a cultivar name, match it on Types of False Cypress.
- Choose ground that drains yet holds moisture, with shelter from wind. Raise or drain a bog before you dig.
- Dig a hole two to three times as wide as the root ball, and no deeper. [3]
- Slide the plant out. Loosen circling roots with your hands or a knife.
- Set the top of the root ball level with the soil, or about 1 inch high so it can settle without burying the flare.
- Backfill. Do not pile soil on the ball. Soak to the depth of the root ball. Keep the new plant moist for the first season if rain fails. After that, watering is on How to Grow False Cypress.
How deep do I plant a false cypress?
No deeper than the root ball. The top of the ball sits level with the soil, or about 1 inch high.
A dwarf and a column still want a wide hole and a slightly high ball. [4]
What fails at planting
A tight, deep clay hole holds water on the crown. Soil piled on the root ball smothers the flare. Plants stacked two feet apart brown in the middle. A midsummer plant with no water dies before the first dry spell. Moving an established plant later is a poor bet.
If you buried the flare or stacked the row, reset the young plant now — do not wait for brown in the middle.
FAQ
Can I start false cypress from seed?
Named kinds are sold as plants. Seed is slow and will not copy a cultivar. Buy a nursery plant for the first one.
Can I take cuttings instead of planting a pot?
Stem cuttings can root with hormone and a draining mix, but it is slow. A container plant is the usual first step.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] Garden Design -
https://www.gardendesign.com/shrubs/chamaecyparis.html - [2] The Morton Arboretum -
https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/hinoki-cypress/ - [3] Gardener's Path -
https://gardenerspath.com/plants/landscape-trees/grow-hinoki-cypress/ - [4] NC State Extension Gardener -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/chamaecyparis-obtusa/
This note is part of Chamaecyparis Guides.
More planting notes by plant are gathered in Planting Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors