Sawara cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera)

Synonyms: sawara cypress

Chamaecyparis pisifera – a species of woody plants in the genus Chamaecyparis (Chamaecyparis) of the family Cupressaceae (Cupressaceae). Widely distributed in Japan (the islands of Kyushu, Honshu up to Yokohama), where it grows at altitudes of 400-1000 m above sea level.

A tree reaching 25-30 (50) m in height, with a conical or narrowly barrel-shaped crown. Branches grow horizontally, spreading. Bark reddish-brown or reddish-blue, smooth, peeling in thin strips. Twigs pendulous, flat, densely covered with needles.

Needles appressed, with spreading tips, glossy above, dark green, underside covered with white spots and bands, with a pleasant faint scent. Flattened leaves are ovate-lanceolate with a gland. Lateral leaves are pointed, strongly compressed laterally, equal to the flattened ones in length.

Male strobili consist of 6-10 pairs of pollen sacs of a brownish color. Female cones on short stalks, small, 6-8 mm in diameter, numerous, globose, yellowish-brown or dark brown, mature in the first year. Seed scales small, not woody, numbering 8-10 (12), broader than long, thin, wrinkled above, slightly pointed, with notched margins, becoming concave at maturity. Seeds are arranged 1-2 per scale. The seed wing is thin, very wide, transparent, with 5-6 resin glands on each side.

Cultivars: Aurea, Вoulevard, Сompacta, Filifera, Filifera aurea, Filifera aurea nana, Squarrosa, Plumosa, Golden mop, Plumosa aurea, Plumosa aurea соmpacta, Gold spangle, Nana, Squarrosa sulphurea.

Hardiness: most members of the species are highly cold-hardy, but in severe winters young shoots may suffer frost damage.

Habitat: members of the species prefer neutral to acidic, fertile and moist soils; they perform poorly on calcareous and dry soils.

Planting: choose a site in full sun or partial shade (forms with yellow foliage are best planted in sun). The planting hole should be prepared twice as wide and deep as the root ball (planting depth 0.7 m, occasionally 1 m). In trenches for hedges, dig a hole 0.6-1 m deep, backfill half the hole with soil and drainage. Spacing between plants – 1-2.5 m (up to 4 m). Cover the seedling with a mixture of humus, leaf mold, peat and sand in the ratio 3:2:1:2. On heavy and wet soils it is recommended to make drainage of expanded clay, crushed stone or large gravel 20-30 cm thick. The root collar should be at soil level. Fill in and tamp the soil around the roots. Then mulch the soil around with pine nut shell, wood chips, peat or bark to a layer of 5-6 cm. When planting it is recommended to apply mineral fertilizer, 5-6 kg of peat-compost and mix it with the soil.

Care: in spring you can apply Kemira fertilizer (100-150 g/sq. m). Members of the species are quite sensitive to lack of moisture in the soil and air. Therefore, spraying is recommended once a week. Watering – 8-10 L per plant; in dry periods the amount and frequency of watering should be doubled. Young plants are recommended to be shaded during hot periods. If the bark cracks, it is recommended to coat the exposed tissues with garden varnish, and to tightly bind any peeled bark.

Pruning: formative and sanitary pruning is carried out, recommended in early spring.

Diseases: the most common disease is root rot, which occurs due to waterlogging of the soil.

Pests: scale insects, spider mites.

Propagation: by cuttings, seeds and layering. Seeds require long stratification. The most effective propagation method is cuttings. For this, take apical cuttings from young shoots, remove the needles from the lower part and plant in pots with a light substrate. To accelerate root formation and create an optimal microclimate, clear polyethylene bags can be used. Plants can also be propagated by layering. For this, shoots growing near the surface are bent to the ground and an oblique cut is made where roots are expected to form. To keep the cut open, insert a small stone into it and fix the wounded area in the pit with a wire staple. The tip of the shoot should be tied to a wooden peg. Once roots form, the layer can be cut from the mother plant and transplanted to a permanent location.

Uses: used as solitary specimens, in small groupings (2-3), and in alleys. Can be grown in containers, as well as in greenhouse and indoor culture. Looks good in plantings with Tsuga and Pseudotsuga. Ideal as a backdrop for perennials and roses. Combinations of different cultivars look attractive.