Elegant, flattened, fan-like sprays of foliage clothe the drooping branches of this noble evergreen conifer from the far western United States. In the wild it forms a majestic conical tree with a massive buttressed trunk and thick shredding silver-brown to red-brown bark. In gardens it is mostly known by its numerous cultivars, which come in many shapes, sizes, and colors.
The tiny, scale-like, green to blue-green leaves clasp and overlap along flexuous branchlets, forming ferny growths. The drooping sprays of foliage have white streaks underneath. Bruised leaves emit a pungent resinous odor. In summer the branches bear small, round, blue-green cones with shield-like scales. The cones ripen to orange-brown in fall, the scales splitting outwards to expel seeds.
Grow Lawson's falsecypress in full to partial sun and moist well-drained soil. It will fail in soggy or clay soil. It tolerates cold winters and dislikes hot parched conditions. Full-sized Lawson cypress is striking as a specimen in a broad lawn, or grouped as a grove or hedge. Cultivars work well in many settings including foundation plantings, shrub borders, and containers. This tree also makes a wonderful bonsai plant. (source: Learn2Grow.com)
Genus - Chamaecyparis
Species - Lawsoniana
Common name - Lawson Cypress
Pre-Treatment - Required
Hardiness zones - 5 - 7
Height - 40'-65' / 12.2m - 19.8m (60)
Spread - 10'-20' / 3.0m - 6.1m
Plant type - Medium Tree
Vegetation type - Evergreen
Exposure - Full Sun, Partial Shade
Growth rate - Medium
Soil PH - Acidic, Neutral
Soil type - Loam, sand, well drained
Water requirements - Average Water
Landscape uses - Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Hedges, Rock Garden / Wall, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier
Germination rate - 83%
Leaf / Flower color - Green, Dark green / --
Useful Info | |
Germination | 1. Soak the seeds in warm water for 24 hours. 2. Fill a nursery flat or other germination container, to within 1/2 inch of the rim, with a sterile germinating mix. Moisten the mix thoroughly. 3. Sow the seeds ~2 mm deep in the mix. Moisten the seeds and place the flat in a cold frame or in the refrigerator at +2-+4C for three months. Keep the seeds moist during this period. 4. Remove the flat from the refrigerator and place it in an area with indirect sunlight and where the temperature remains between +15-+20 C (60-68 F). 5. Keep in good ventilated room or place. Seeds are susceptible to damping off – a fungal disease that kills seeds and seedlings. Good air circulation is one method of avoiding the disease. 5. Spray the seeds periodically with room-temperature water from a misting bottle to ensure they remain moist. Seeds typically germinate within 20 days to three months. |