Chamaecyparis Lawsoniana Golden Wonder Lawson’s Cypress

Chamaecyparis Lawsoniana Golden Wonder is a RHS AGM winning medium-sized false cypress tree with drooping branches and evergreen golden yellow sprays of foliage. It’s a popular choice fast growing choice for hedging and evergreen screens in small gardens.

Chamaecyparis Lawsoniana is Lawson’s Cypress, a large conifer with conical shape and drooping branches covered in broad fan-like sprays of aromatic foliage. It’ native to North America, where it grows on hillsides at altitude.

Chamaecyparis Lawsoniana Golden Wonder was raised in The Netherlands in 1950 as a seedling. It differs from its parent tree because it’s much smaller, conically shaped, and has rich golden-yellow foliage. It retains the aromatic fan-like foliage sprays, its attractive shape, and hardiness.

This small false cypress is a very useful ornamental tree and popular due to its shape, height, and glorious golden-yellow evergreen foliage that retains its golden shade year round.

Height and Spread of Chamaecyparis Lawsoniana Golden Wonder
Chamaecyparis Lawsoniana Golden Wonder is fast growing. It reaches 4-5 metres tall in 10 years and an eventual height and spread of 20-50 metres tall by four metres wide after 20 years.

How Hardy is Chamaecyparis Lawsoniana Golden Wonder
This is a hardy false cypress when its roots are well drained and it receives full sun.

How to Use Chamaecyparis Lawsoniana Golden Wonder
Lawson’s Cypress Golden Wonder is a popular hedging tree and evergreen screen for shade, privacy and wind protection. Its narrow spread makes it suitable for gardens in need of height without width.
Year-round handsome evergreen foliage provides winter interest and shelter for nesting or roosting birds and its branches attract overwintering insects, so it’s excellent in biodiverse spaces and wildlife friendly gardens.

How To Care For Chamaecyparis Lawsoniana Golden Wonder
Chamaecyparis Lawsoniana Golden Wonder is easy to grow and care for. It needs well drained acidic to neutral soil and full sun on its branches to really thrive and produce the brightest yellow foliage.
Choose a sunny spot in exposed or sheltered areas and water it well until you see new growth. Give it a can of water every day until it’s established, and water young trees regularly in hot spells. Once established it’s drought tolerant.
Apply a thick layer of well-rotted organic mulch around the base in springtime to trap moisture and provide nutrients for the growing season.
There’s no need to prune this handsome evergreen false cypress.