Choose false cypress by species: hinoki, Lawson, or Sawara. We list the catalog plants in those groups.
Choose hinoki, Lawson, or Sawara
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Hinoki | A slow dwarf mound or gold fan spray for a small bed | Do not expect a 4-foot nursery plant to stay 4 feet if the tag is the species tree |
| Lawson | A column or blue dwarf for a screen or specimen | Do not buy a threadleaf mop where you wanted a hedge wall |
| Sawara | A gold mop or a soft cone for texture | Do not plant it as a narrow hinoki fan |
| Tag | Read the Latin — Chamaecyparis, not Taxodium or Cupressus | Do not trust a bag that only says cypress |
Know your USDA hardiness zone before you pick a type of chamaecyparis that will take your winter. Type your ZIP below.
2023 USDA ZIP listings (PRISM / USDA-ARS). Find Your USDA Hardiness Zone · Official USDA map.
Read the species on the tag. False cypress share moist drain and wind shelter. The choice is which outline you bought. [1] [2] A 1-foot nursery plant can still become a 6-foot mop or a 20-foot column. Size on the pot is not the mature size.
What is the difference between hinoki, Lawson, and Sawara?
Hinoki is Chamaecyparis obtusa, usually a slow dwarf with fan sprays. Lawson is C. lawsoniana, often a column. Sawara is C. pisifera, often a threadleaf mop or a soft cone.
Browse by kind
Hinoki false cypress
Nana Gracilis is the usual dwarf hinoki mound with shell-like dark sprays. Fernspray Gold is the same species with gold, fern-like tips. Species hinoki can reach 50 feet; these garden kinds stay small.
Lawson false cypress
Ellwoodii is a Lawson column, also sold as Port Orford cedar — still Chamaecyparis, not a true cedar. Pinpoint kinds sit here too. Do not plant them as a 2-foot mop.
Sawara false cypress
Golden Mop is a gold threadleaf mound. Soft Serve is a wider Sawara cone with softer sprays. Filifera Aurea is the same threadleaf job on a larger plant.
Culture stays the same moist drain. Pick by species outline, not by a shop list of extra names. [3] [4]
Not bald cypress, Leyland, or true cypress
Bald cypress is Taxodium, a deciduous swamp tree. See How to Grow Bald Cypress. True cypress is Cupressus. See How to Grow Cypress. Leyland is a fast hybrid hedge, not this genus. Arborvitae is Thuja. A tag that says only “cypress” is not enough; read the Latin.
Is bald cypress the same plant?
No. Bald cypress is Taxodium. False cypress is Chamaecyparis, an evergreen. Leyland and Italian cypress are different plants.
If the tag says only cypress, read the Latin before you plant.
FAQ
Is Confucius or Thoweil a kind we list?
No. Those nursery names are not in this catalog. They still want the same moist drain as Nana Gracilis if the tag says hinoki.
Is Atlantic white cedar in this catalog?
No. Atlantic white cedar is Chamaecyparis thyoides, not a card here. Nootka cypress is now usually sold as Callitropsis, not this list.
Is Golden Mop a hinoki?
No. Golden Mop is Sawara (Chamaecyparis pisifera), a threadleaf mound, not a hinoki fan spray.
Related guides
References
- [1] Garden Design -
https://www.gardendesign.com/shrubs/chamaecyparis.html - [2] NC State Extension Gardener -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/chamaecyparis-obtusa/ - [3] NC State Extension Gardener -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/chamaecyparis-pisifera/ - [4] The Morton Arboretum -
https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/hinoki-cypress/
This note is part of Chamaecyparis Guides.
More type comparisons by plant are gathered in Types of Plants Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors