Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Fernspray Gold' is a medium-sized, upright growing selection of Hinoki cypress with a dense pyramidal growth habit and beautifully twisted golden, fern-like, flattened branches. It is similar to C. obtusa 'Tetragona Aurea' but has less orange and more lemon coloration.
Water the hinoki cypress as soon as the soil gets dry, but don't keep the roots soaking wet all the time.
While cypress is forgiving of most light conditions, it does not tolerate shade well. It grows best in open, sunny conditions or partially shaded areas.
The Hinoki cypress prefers somewhat acidic soil: the pH should be between 5.0 and 6.0 for optimum health. It is best to have your soil tested and to correct the pH if necessary before planting. Plant in fall or early spring, and once established fertilize sparingly with slow-release organic fertilizer during those same times. This is one plant that truly appreciates a blanket of mulch, but remember to keep the trunk area free of mulch.
Although it prefers a moist, fertile, well-drained soil, this tree tolerates a wide range of soil types—clay, loam, or sand and acidic or alkaline.
Prune to shape the tree or for size control, but very lightly. Snip only new growth, those young stems that are green and flexible. Make the cuts just above a lateral branch. Do not prune into the brown aged stems, because they will not grow back, as Hinoki cypress does not form new buds on old wood.
Cypress trees are best grown in USDA hardiness zones 6 to 10, with temperatures no lower than -8 degrees Fahrenheit. However, zone-5 gardeners have been successfully growing them by providing mulch and an A-frame shelter in the winter months.
Poisoning most often occurs during late summer when other feed is scarce, or when animals are fed hay containing bracken fern.
