Habitat

• native to eastern United States
• hardy to zone 4

Habit and Form

• an evergreen tree
• narrow, columnar form
• up to 50' tall and only 10' to 20' wide
• medium growth rate
• medium texture

Summer Foliage

• bright to bluish-green needles
• sharply pointed
• leaves turn brown second year and persist
• leaves are very small

Autumn Foliage

• no autumn color
• brown needles persist on branches for several years

Flowers

• not of ornamental importance
• monoecious

Fruit

• brown cones
• cones are clustered on small branchlets
• 0.25" across

Bark

• light gray to reddish brown bark
• irregularly furrowed
• very thin, spreading branches

Culture

• prefers deep, moist, sandy soil
• best in full sun
• naturally grows in swamps and bogs

Landscape Use

• lawn tree
• for evergreen features
• specimen
• naturalized area
• wet sites

Liabilities

• no serious pests
• retains dead needles

ID Features

• scale-like leaves
• white markings typical of chamaecyparis
• bluish-green leaf color
• small brown cones
• irregularly furrowed bark
• retains dead leaves

Propagation

• by cuttings
• by seed

Cultivars/Varieties

'Andelyensis' - This form slowly reaches 10' tall, with a wide pyramidal habit. The foliage is verdant green in summer, purpish in winter.

'Aurea' - Conical form to 15' with yellow foliage, bronzy in winter.

'Ericoides' - An interesting juvenile form with needle-like foliage that is a blue-green color. The leaves turn a pronounced purplish hue in winter, and the plant should only reach 6' tall.

'Little Jamie' - A conical form that grows very slowy to 4'. Foliage traits similar to 'Andelyensis'.

Various blue-foliaged forms are occasionally available, including 'Glauca', 'Blue Sport' and 'Hopkinton'.

'Variegata' - Foliage bears flecks and spots of gold, needs shade.