Plant Siberian cypress in spring or early fall. Set the crown at the soil line, about 3 to 5 feet apart, in soil that drains.
Set the plant in spring or early fall, with the crown at the soil line
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| When | Spring after the ground thaws, or early fall while the soil is still warm | Do not plant into peak summer heat unless you can water often |
| Stock | A container plant, or a balled-and-burlapped plant | Do not start from a bare-root bundle if you can buy a pot |
| Hole | As deep as the root ball and about three times as wide | Do not dig a deep, wet pit and bury the stem |
| Depth | Crown even with the finished soil | Do not bury the crown in a wet hole |
Siberian cypress goes in as a small shrub for a bank or a rock garden. Buy a pot, and plant it the same day into soil that drains. [1] Container plants and balled-and-burlapped plants take better than a bare-root start. [2] Site, sun, and later watering live on How to Grow Siberian Cypress.
- Choose a sunny or lightly shaded strip of soil that drains. Pull weeds first.
- Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and about three times as wide, and mix the backfill so water can leave.
- Set the plant so the crown sits even with the soil. Do not bury the stem.
- Firm the soil and water at once to close air pockets, then keep the root zone barely moist until new sprays show.
When do I plant Siberian cypress?
Plant in spring after the ground thaws, or in early fall while the soil is still warm. Midsummer only works if you can water often.
How deep do I plant it?
Set the crown even with the soil. A deep, wet hole around the stem is the usual reason a new plant rots.
Space plants 3 to 5 feet apart so the carpet can spread
Three to four feet apart fills a bank faster. Five to six feet uses fewer plants and takes longer to close, which suits a selection that stays about four to six feet wide. [3] The species can reach ten to twelve feet across, so keep it off a narrow walk. [4] Stagger the plants rather than lining them in a single row, so the sprays meet as a carpet instead of a stripe.
- Mark spots 3 to 5 feet apart, staggered, on the bank or bed.
- Set each plant at those marks with the crown at the soil line.
- Leave the gap weedy-free until the sprays meet, because weeds win open ground faster than this slow carpet.
- Do not plant against a foundation or path edge the way you would a one-foot mound.
How far apart do I plant Siberian cypress?
About 3 to 5 feet apart. Three to four feet fills faster. Five to six feet uses fewer plants and takes longer to close.
If a new plant rots, the crown sat wet. Set it at the soil line in ground that drains, and leave 3 to 5 feet between plants.
FAQ
Can I move a mature plant later?
A young container plant moves easily. A wide, established carpet does not. Set it where it can stay.
Can I plant in midsummer heat?
Only if you can water the new plant often. Spring, or early fall, is the easier window.
Should I amend only the hole?
Loosen a wide planting area so roots can leave the hole. A rich pocket in heavy, wet ground still holds water around the crown.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] MyGardenLife -
https://mygardenlife.com/plant-library/russian-cypress-siberian-cypress-microbiota-decussata - [2] Cornell Woody Plants Database -
https://woodyplants.cals.cornell.edu/plant/155 - [3] Proven Winners -
https://www.provenwinners.com/plants/microbiota/celtic-pride-siberian-cypress-microbiota-decussata - [4] NC State Extension Gardener -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/microbiota-decussata/
This note is part of Microbiota Guides.
More planting notes by plant are gathered in Planting Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors