Weeping Nootka Cypress
Cupressus nootkatensis
Weeping Nootka Cypress is a graceful evergreen conifer with sweeping, drooping branchlets that hang like curtains from upturned limbs. It is a striking, hardy specimen tree for cool climates.
- Light
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Moderate; consistent moisture, well-drained
- Difficulty
- Easy
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Overview
Weeping Nootka Cypress ('Pendula') is the popular weeping form of the Nootka Cypress (Cupressus nootkatensis, also classified as Xanthocyparis nootkatensis or Callitropsis nootkatensis), a conifer of the Pacific Northwest also called Alaska Cedar or Yellow Cedar.
The weeping cultivar is grown for its dramatic architecture: ascending branches from which flat sprays of dark green foliage hang straight down in long, curtain-like streamers.
Narrow and elegant, it makes a memorable vertical accent and is far more refined and graceful than its rugged wild parent suggests.
How to identify it
- Foliage: Flat sprays of dark blue-green scale leaves hanging vertically; foliage has a distinctive sharp, somewhat unpleasant scent when crushed (unlike most cypress)
- Habit: Narrow, upright form with arching branches and strongly weeping, draped branchlets
- Cones: Small, round, woody cones about 1/2 inch across with a few scales, each scale with a small point
- Bark: Gray-brown, thin, fibrous, shredding
- Size: Cultivar typically 20 to 35 feet tall and quite narrow
Care & growing
Hardy, adaptable, and easy in cool to temperate climates.
- Light: Full sun to part shade
- Water: Consistent moisture, especially when young; tolerates a range once established
- Soil: Moist, well-drained soil; tolerates clay better than many conifers
- Temperature: Very cold hardy, roughly USDA zones 4 to 7
- Feeding: Light feeding in spring if growth is slow
- Propagation: Cultivar propagated by cuttings or grafting
Little pruning is needed; the natural weeping form is the main attraction, so allow it room to display its draping branches.
Habitat & origin
The wild species is native to the Pacific Northwest, from Alaska down the coastal mountains through British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon, growing in cool, moist, montane and subalpine forests.
The weeping cultivar is planted ornamentally across cool-temperate gardens in North America, Europe, and beyond as a specimen accent.
Frequently asked questions
What makes the Weeping Nootka Cypress look unusual?
Its branches arch upward while the flattened foliage sprays hang straight down in long curtains, giving a dramatic, narrow, draping silhouette unlike most conifers.
Is Nootka Cypress the same as Alaska Cedar?
Yes. Nootka Cypress, Alaska Cedar, and Yellow Cedar are all common names for the same species, whose classification has shifted among several genera.
How cold hardy is it?
Very. It is hardy to roughly USDA zone 4, reflecting its native range up into Alaska, making it one of the hardier ornamental weeping conifers.
Does it need much space?
It stays fairly narrow, usually 20 to 35 feet tall but only several feet wide, so it suits gardens where a tall, slender accent is wanted.
Weeping Nootka Cypress guides
In-depth guides for identifying, growing, and caring for Weeping Nootka Cypress.
