Lakeshore Garden Centres Plant Finder

Other Names:  Alaska Cedar, Nootka Falsecypress, Xanthocyparis

Description:

Lovely graceful form with pendulous branches of dazzling gray-green and white variegated foliage; an extremely narrow and weeping evergreen with some shade tolerance; this tree has beauty and grace and can be treated as a cherished specimen

Ornamental Features

Sparkling Arrow Nootka Cypress is a dwarf conifer which is primarily valued in the landscape or garden for its highly ornamental weeping form. It has attractive white-variegated grayish green foliage. The scale-like sprays of foliage are highly ornamental and remain grayish green throughout the winter. The shaggy antique red bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape.

Landscape Attributes

Sparkling Arrow Nootka Cypress is an open multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a rounded form and gracefully weeping branches. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub. When pruning is necessary, it is recommended to only trim back the new growth of the current season, other than to remove any dieback. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Sparkling Arrow Nootka Cypress is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Vertical Accent
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Sparkling Arrow Nootka Cypress will grow to be about 8 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 inches. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is quite intolerant of urban pollution, therefore inner city or urban streetside plantings are best avoided, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selection of a native North American species.