Hinoki Cypress
Chamaecyparis obtusa
Hinoki Cypress is an elegant evergreen conifer with rich green, fan-like foliage held in graceful sprays. Slow-growing dwarf cultivars are popular for gardens, containers, and bonsai.
- Light
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Moderate; keep soil evenly moist
- Difficulty
- Moderate
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Overview
Hinoki Cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) is an evergreen conifer native to Japan, where it is a sacred and economically important timber tree. In gardens it is admired for its glossy, dark green foliage arranged in distinctive flattened, fan-shaped sprays.
The wild species grows into a tall pyramidal tree, but the most popular garden forms are slow-growing dwarf and compact cultivars such as 'Nana Gracilis', which develop layered, textural foliage and refined character over time.
Its elegant texture and slow growth make it a favorite for specimen plantings, rock and Japanese gardens, containers, and bonsai.
How to identify it
Recognized by glossy scale foliage with white markings beneath.
- Foliage: Small, blunt, scale-like leaves pressed to the branchlets, rich glossy green above with white Y- or X-shaped markings on the undersides
- Sprays: Foliage held in flat, fan-like, often slightly cupped sprays
- Cones: Small, round, woody cones about 0.4 inch across
- Bark: Reddish-brown, peeling in long strips
- Habit: Pyramidal in the species; dwarf cultivars compact, layered, and slow-growing
Care & growing
Wants steady moisture, decent drainage, and shelter from harsh wind.
- Light: Full sun to part shade; best color in good light
- Water: Keep soil evenly moist, especially when young; dislikes both drought and waterlogging
- Soil: Moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil rich in organic matter
- Temperature: Hardy in USDA zones 4 to 8; shelter from drying winds
- Feeding: Light feeding in spring
- Pruning: Light shaping only; avoid cutting back into bare old wood, which does not resprout
- Propagation: Cultivars from cuttings; species from seed
Habitat & origin
Native to central and southern Japan, where it grows in mountain forests and is cultivated extensively for high-quality timber. It is also found in Taiwan as a closely related variety.
It is widely planted as an ornamental in temperate gardens worldwide, with numerous dwarf and golden cultivars selected for landscape and container use.
Frequently asked questions
How fast does Hinoki Cypress grow?
The dwarf garden cultivars are quite slow, often adding only a few inches a year, which is part of why they are valued for small gardens, containers, and bonsai.
Can I prune it hard?
No. Like most false cypresses, it does not resprout from bare old wood, so prune lightly to shape and avoid cutting back into leafless branches.
Why is the foliage browning?
Browning often results from drought stress, waterlogging, or drying winter winds. Keep soil evenly moist and provide some shelter from harsh wind.
What is hinoki wood used for?
In Japan it is a premium timber used for temples, shrines, traditional baths, and fine carpentry, prized for its durability, fragrance, and resistance to rot.
Hinoki Cypress guides
In-depth guides for identifying, growing, and caring for Hinoki Cypress.
