Dwarf Pygmy Falsecypress*
Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Pygmaea'
* This is a "special order" plant - contact store for details
Height: 3 feet
Spread: 5 feet
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 4b
Description:
Bright green foliage contrasts beautifully with striking red stems, pair up with other red plants to bring out the stem color; bronze hues in winter; water with restraint if planting in full shade
Ornamental Features
Dwarf Pygmy Falsecypress is a dwarf conifer which is primarily valued in the garden for its interestingly mounded form. It has light green evergreen foliage. The scale-like sprays of foliage turn coppery-bronze in the fall, which persists throughout the winter. The red stems can be quite attractive.
Landscape Attributes
Dwarf Pygmy Falsecypress is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a mounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.
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.
Dwarf Pygmy Falsecypress is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Mass Planting
- Rock/Alpine Gardens
- General Garden Use
- Container Planting
Planting & Growing
Dwarf Pygmy Falsecypress will grow to be about 3 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. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 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 or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. 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.
Dwarf Pygmy 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.
* This is a "special order" plant - contact store for details