Chamaecyparis Obtusa Tsatsumi Gold Hinoki Cypress

Chamaecyparis Obtusa Tsatsumi Gold is an RHS AGM-winning dwarf conifer with evergreen haphazard sprays of deep golden-yellow branches. It’s a good choice for rock gardens, architectural borders, and containers.

The species Chamaecyparis Obtusa is better known as Hinoki Cypress. It’s an attractive drooping evergreen native to Japan and Taiwan’s forests and one of the best choices for topiary or cloud trees.

The cultivar Hinoki Cypress Tsatsumi Gold originated in Japan in the 1980s as the sport of Chamaecyparis Obtusa Tsatsumi. It’s a rounded yet flattened conifer shrub with soft sprays of chaotically arranged wiry branches and small scale-like leaves. The foliage is very slow growing, emerging bright yellow and maturing to rich golden yellow over the summer months.

This is one of the best evergreen conifers for gentle structure, shape and colour. It’s a hero plant in plain rockeries that needs zinging up with bright yellow tones.

Height and Spread of Chamaecyparis Obtusa Tsatsumi Gold
Slow-growing Hinoki Cypress Tsatsumi Gold takes 20 years to reach a maximum height of 1.5 to 2.5 metres and spread over 1.5 metres.

How Hardy is Chamaecyparis Obtusa Tsatsumi Gold
This cheerful conifer is fully hardy in the UK if it’s grown in moist but well-drained soil where it copes with drought and pollution. Tsatsumi Gold holds the RHS H7 hardiness label which is the toughest rating.

How to Use Chamaecyparis Obtusa Tsatsumi Gold
Because Hinoki Cypress Tsatsumi Gold is a slow-growing, rounded shrub it’s a top choice for rockeries and low maintenance spaces where its unusually chaotic foliage creates movement, texture, shape and a pop of bright golden green.
It’s a fairly small shrub that fits into most sized gardens and doesn’t outgrow its welcome. Courtyards and country-style borders benefit from Tsatsumi Gold’s architectural and fun presence, and it will grow in a well-watered container to enliven dull balconies, patios and deck.

How To Care For Chamaecyparis Obtusa Tsatsumi Gold
Hinoki Cypress Tsatsumi Gold is easy to grow. It prefers acidic to neutral soil but will manage in alkaline soil with regular acidic mulches of bracken or pine compost. Full sun is required to bring out its yellow colour and it will tolerate sheltered and exposed spots.
No pruning is required. Mulch the roots each spring with rich acidic based organic matter and water it well until new growth emerges.