Plant Encyclopedia

Other Names:  Japanese Falsecypress, Sawara Falsecypress

Description:

This slow growing, semi dwarf shrubby variety will eventually attain a conical habit; it features incredible lemon-yellow threadlike evergreen foliage, excellent as a border shrub and garden accent where bold color is desired

Ornamental Features

Lemon Thread Falsecypress is a dwarf conifer which is primarily valued in the landscape or garden for its interestingly mounded form. It has attractive lemon yellow evergreen foliage which emerges gold in spring. The threadlike sprays of foliage are highly ornamental and turn yellow in the fall, which persists throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Lemon Thread Falsecypress is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a mounded form. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which can make it a great accent feature on this basis alone.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Lemon Thread Falsecypress is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Vertical Accent
• Hedges/Screening
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Lemon Thread Falsecypress will grow to be about 5 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 70 years or more.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for acidic soils. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.

Lemon Thread Falsecypress makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.