About

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 'Wissel's Saguaro' is a slender, vertical conifer that reaches heights of up to 6 meters and maintains a width of around 1 meter. Its sturdy, widely spaced branches are adorned with tightly clustered blue-green leaves that extend outward before rising, resembling the structure of the saguaro cactus, Carnegiea gigantea, after which it is named.

About the genus

Chamaecyparis consists of evergreen trees that typically exhibit a narrow ovoid or columnar shape. They feature densely branched sprays of diminutive scale-like foliage and produce small, rounded cones. In certain cultivars, the tiny red male cones are particularly noticeable.

Growing conditions

Sunlight
Full sun
Soil type
Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH
Acid, Neutral
Soil moisture
Moist but well-drained
Aspect
South-facing, North-facing, West-facing, East-facing
Exposure
Exposed, Sheltered
UK hardiness
H6

Plant details

Plant type
Conifers
Habit
Columnar upright
Foliage
Evergreen
Height
4-8 metres
Spread
1-1.5 metres
Time to full height
10-20 years
Suggested uses
Architectural, City and courtyard gardens, Patio and container plants

Care notes

Cultivation
Grows well in moist but well-drained soil. Tolerant of chalk soils but prefers slightly acidic soil
Pruning
No pruning required
Propagation
Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings
Pest resistance
May be susceptible to aphids, juniper scale and shoot-boring moths
Disease resistance
May be susceptible to honey fungus and Phytophthora root diseases