Chamaecyparis mix

Hi Everyone,

I'm running into a lot of mixed info regarding Chamaecyparis and its touchy watering requirements. Whats a good soil mixture for these trees?
What are some watering tricks you folks have discovered with regards to these guys.

I'm grateful for the opinions.

Ah, I see why now. I haven't heard they need careful watering? I've seen them planted in allsorts. From potting compost to straight Acadama. Well drained would be my only advice.

Hi MOTM, These trees prefer to stay moist and cool so a soil mix of about 80% organic and 20% course sand with lots of misting in summer will keep them happy. I have a few types and most do ok with exposure to full morning sun and dappled shade the rest of the day when potted. In the garden they all get full sun. The only thing touchy about them, and may be relevant in your area, is that they hate lime. Make certain your soil is lime-free and use rain water or distilled water if your water is lime rich. The most common Chamaecyparis are the Hinoki (C. obtusa), and the Sawara (C. pisifera). I have three varieties of Hinoki, standard, dwarf and feather-leafed, and one Sawara, the Boulavard. I keep a few odd balls, too, Port Orford Cedar (C. lawsonana) and Alaskan Yellow Cedar (C. nootkatensis).

Rkatzin

Thank you for all that info, I haven't gotten to the tree but probably will today, I was concerned about the need for full sun combined with the need to never dry out. Thats a tough combo to get right but I think I'll follow your lead with strong morning sun then dappled shade. 80/20 is also richer than I was planning but I'm gonna go with that..Not far off from an azalea huh?

Rkatzin-

I thought you might like to see the tree in question, just potted today and awaiting styling, a dwarf Sawara.
thank you again for your help.

Nice tree MOTM! Did you make the spiral form or find it that way? I wanted to get back to this just to add that I was using a leaner soil mix, about 60-40, and the cedar types did fine in that, but the Obtusa and Sawara (ones with more feathery foliage) had constant problem with browning tips and I just couldn't seem to keep them wet enough, our summers are very arid, (drier than a popcorn fart is the local saying) so I increased the mix to 80% organic and no more brown tips. Rhode Island is likely a bit more humid and you may not need the extra retention, but I don't think it will hurt. Interesting formation on your tree, I can't wait to see how it looks with a little snip and clip.

mine are just planted in cat litter and have done ok through last summers rain and the winter freeze , i had to bring it out this weekend as the neighbor cut his hedge and all the clippings went all over it

Rkatzin

my deck (where all the trees live) is just a few feet away from a one acre pond, I have more humidity than I can stand in the summer usually, but I WILL be on the lookout for browning out of the tips. This Sawara is a new species to me so I look forward to the challenge involved in its care. That twist was barely noticeable at the nursery and was what made me choose this one over say 10 others, as I bare rooted yesterday I noticed the twist was picked up in the roots as well> I admit I was very excited> I haven't done too many Mame sized trees but what I'm beginning to realize is that if you have to over exaggerate good features on this size tree..roots that normally wouldn't make the grade in a larger tree and need to be removed are kept and styled as a feature of a tree this small. Its a whole other world in that size tree an I'm still getting used to it. I need smaller hands. I will update as things progress..

Rkatzin

Is it ok to clip the foliage on these guys with scissors or will the tips brown out like a juniper?

sadly....i burned this one today. it died. usually i know what it was i did that killed em....this boulevard cypress i just dont know. it was very healthy last fall. i think it had much to do with poor root pruning and bad soil

ok. well im having trouble posting picture