Other Names:  Port Orford Cedar, Oregon Cedar

Description:

A dense, upright, conical selection, with breathtaking golden-yellow sprays of fine foliage year-round; takes on a bronze cast in winter; slow growing, remains dwarf and compact without pruning; ideal for borders or as a garden accent

Ornamental Features

Golden Surprise Lawson Falsecypress is a dwarf conifer which is primarily valued in the landscape or garden for its distinctively pyramidal habit of growth. It has attractive bluish-green-variegated gold foliage with hints of creamy white which emerges yellow in spring. The scale-like sprays of foliage are highly ornamental and turn coppery-bronze in the fall, which persists throughout the winter. The shaggy antique red bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape.

Landscape Attributes

Golden Surprise Lawson Falsecypress is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a distinctive and refined pyramidal form. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which can make it a great accent feature on this basis alone.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Golden Surprise Lawson Falsecypress is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Vertical Accent
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Golden Surprise Lawson Falsecypress will grow to be about 8 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 4 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for acidic soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. 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.