Description

Leaves: Small; scale-like; very similar to Cupressus and Thuja; attached in alternating pairs flattened along and clasping twig; 1/12" long or less; dark green above with white markings underneath; evergreen; persist 2 to 3 years; aromatic when crushed.

Twigs/buds: Twigs slender; covered by foliage; arranged in flattened, somewhat drooping sprays.  Buds very small; indistinct; not useful for identification purposes.

Flowers/fruit: Monoecious.  Fruit a leathery cone; 1/3" to 1/2" diameter; round; orange-brown; 8 to 10 shield- shaped scales with a bump on each one; matures in one year.

Bark: Fibrous; red-brown; coming off in long, narrow strips; distinctive.

Wood: Unimportant.

General: Native to Japan and Formosa.  Not a true cypress.  Small to medium-sized tree, depending on cultivar; medium to slow growth.  Intermediate shade tolerance.

Landscape Use: This is a nice small evergreen that is little planted in Utah.  It is easily confused with some of the arborvitaes with its scaly foliage in flattened sprays.  I have seen this doing well at the UofU.  The foliage and canopy texture are very attractive and several forms are available.  Zones 4-8.

Cultivars: 'Alaska', 'Aurea', 'Aurea Nana', 'Aurora', 'Autumn Glory', 'Crippsii', 'Filicoides', 'Kosteri', 'Nana Gracilis'.

Characteristics