Weeping Nootka Cypress
Weeping Nootka Cypress, Chamaecyparis nootkatensis ‘Pendula’
I’m not sure I can explain why, but the Weeping Nootka Cypress is one of my favorite evergreens. I guess because it can be considered a non compliant evergreen because it has it’s own style and it’s own personality. Like Willie Nelson. They need little pruning, however I do recommend pruning them when they are young so they get full and not completely spindly. I trust trim up all of the lateral branches once a year to maintain a uniform pyramidal shape. I also make sure the tree only has one leader. This is important with just about all pyramidal evergreens. Don’t let them develop double or multiple leaders. But after a few years I pretty much quit pruning mine.
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Weeping Nootka Cypress
The weeping Nootka Cypress thrives in full sun in zones 5 through 8. It does not bloom, it doesn’t need to. It’s plenty cool enough just doing what it does. When newly planted they need about as much water as any other plant, be careful to not plant it too deep or in a wet area. Few plants will survive in wet soil.
Weeping Nootka is one of those plants that has to grow on you like Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick. People who like one like the other. These are what I call plant lovers plants.
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This is my absolute favorite tree/plant ever. It has more character than any other plant. The only problem is they are extremely slow growers. After spending lots of money on small ones from nurseries all over the country, I finally bit the $$$ bullet, hurt the wallet and bout an 8 footer. You pretty much have to buy what you want it to be. I have not had any luck growing smaller ones.
Do you know where I can buy one? I’m having no luck.
I live in Mesa AZ so what r my best plants 2 grow? I have try other plants.
I am in Phoenix, AZ.
I am starting with the trees and shrubs I have in my yard.
I just started 40 Feathery Senna, because I have a lot of sprigs on my bush, so it doesn’t matter that much if they don’t grow.
When it looks like I know kind of what I’m doing, I’m try the jujube.
When my clam shell propagators arrive, I am going to use them on the carob tree.
I also have light colored fig trees, and a shrub I haven’t figured out what it is yet.
the deer here in NE CT eat many trees–including those “they” say deer won’t eat! That includes our arborvitae, which now have bare trunks up to deer-reach height!
Anyway–do deer like to munch on these gorgeous trees? I hope not. Thanks for all you do, Mike!
Ginia
Ginia, I don’t know for sure. Deer are selective about what they eat depending upon how hungry they are. If it’s a long snow covered winter they’ll eat almost anything to survive. Things like Burning Bush and Crabapple trees they really, really like and it’s less and less desireable from there.
It’s an interesting evergreen and I’d love to plant one (or more) but where can I find more detailed pruning instructions? I’m one of those people who need a picture along with instructions LOL.
Oh, my! Sorree, but I must disagree that that thing is cool.
It looks like something that would take root outside the witch’s cottage – all droopy, dying and scary.
I think I’ll pass and see what you’re going to show us next –
.
This is my kind of evergreen——-
i live in Africa and our seasons are a contradiction to yours it is crazy. currently it is winter with temperatures coming in as low as 23 degrees at the most am sure it is nothing compared to Europe.
Katwamba, I know it gets confusing when I’m showing summer photos and others around the world are shoveling snow. But it does make it interesting.
Still liking the Japanese Umbrella Pine more…Wish I had one and the right spot to put it. My friend has 2 and they are lovely and very cool!
I think it looks very cool! Definitely a plant lovers plant
I like it Mike.
Do you have any more info on it? We have at least a half dozen evergreen varieties on our property and would love to addd another.
This tree looks wonderful, lazy looking and graceful at the same time. I’d find a place for this in my front yard.
It is beautiful!
I do not like it, it looks like it needs water
No way! This is not scary! I love this everygreen, my neighbor has one in front of her house and it is just STUNNING with all the other types of landscaping around it. It really shows off all the other styles because it is so different. I love these but they are mighty expensive around here!
Mike, I’m with you…super cool tree. There are several in the Nova Scotia Agriculture College garden in Truro. (zone 5).
BUT by far my favorite conifer, while technically deciduous, is the Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia)! I have two in my yard. They are fast growers even way up here in the north (actually we are zone 5b at 45° lat.) One day when I am really old hopefully I will see it do it’s thing with the cool branching near the ground.
Murray, last summer I picked up a Dawn Redwood at a wholesale nursery stock auction for $10.00. I’ve got it planted in my nursery. It’s spindely, but I can be patient.
Love this weepy cypress!…
How long does it take to grow that tall?
Hella, they are not fast growing so I’d buy one at least 4′ tall.
I love this tree! I planted a Nootka the first year we were in our new house 6 yrs ago and it is higher than the roof now and has been host to baby house finches and hummingbirds for 3 yrs. I love the free form of the tree-it suits me and looks fantastic in winter with snow on its branches. Good year round tree
We live in northern Washington State, up in the northern Cascade mountains, & we have a lot of these plus many other varieties of evergreens. We love them. It is nice to have all that green when everything is covered with snow, during the long winter.
Always wondered what those trees were called…Beautiful!!
I think it’s cool looking but would want more information.
Do they change colors at all during the seasons?
My neighbor had a gold “evergreen” bush and every time I looked at it, I thought it was dead until I realized that it was the natural color.
I think it’s a beautiful tree!! It looks like a tree I have in my front yard. It’s a form of Cypress. It stayed small for years, then sudenly took off, now over 15 ft tall. But this tree you showed, Mike, is very unique. That’s why I like it. Linda
How high will these grow? I have an Alaskan Cedar, very similar droopy tree that is about 50 foot tall. In Kentucky. Several planted in the neighborhood in the 1950′s.
They are beautiful.
It’s beautiful, I would love to grow one but I’m surrounded by big Maples and Oaks so there is little sun for ALL the flowering plants etc. that I would so enjoy having. I have lots of green around me but in the SHADE!!! Do get lovely Maple Syrup in the Spring, that’s our consolation. Pinky.
Would it thrive in Southwest Missouri??? It is glorius!
Debbie, absolutely it would.
Oh, this is so going in my spruce border! What a cool statement… majesty, humility, that’s what is says to me…Love it!
when and how do you make cuttings for this tree? thanks,
Sharon,
Cuttings would be difficult, but you can try in July using the http://www.freeplants.com/homemade-plant-propagation.htm. They are usually grafted onto a seedling, but anything is worth a try.
I’ve seen depressing and I’ve seen really ugly but this is the first time I’ve seen them together!
Leonard, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
my neighbor has this tree and it is beautiful. I know that it’s at least 25yrs. old.
Where can I buy the plants that you advertise?
Martiska, At this point I am not selling any plants, but many of our backyard growers have the plants that I mention for sale. See if there is anybody in your area. http://www.mikesbackyardnursery.com/category/backyard-nurseries/
These are just the most beautiful evergreen! I do wish I had the right place for one.It deserves to be in a location that can show it off!”Scary”, Never!!”Gorgeous”Yes!!As one other person said, they can be pretty pricy around here also, but if I had the proper place ,I’m not sure that would deter me!
Can this plant adapt to hot Tx weather?
Marianne, they do well into zone 8. Not sure what zone you are in. Zone map for the United States:
http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html
Zone map for Canada:
http://nlwis-snite1.agr.gc.ca/plant00/index.phtml
say, somebody evolve one to grow in Wisconsin!
I have one word… Beautiful!
I think this is extremely beautiful. Wish I had one.
Woodworkers love it too for its beautiful yellow wood which is fairly hard and nice to work with. In Oregon it is known as Alaska Yellow Ceder. Canadians call it Nutka Cypress or Yellow Cypress.
That is one beautiful tree. I would love to have one in my yard.Have never seen one before. Do not know if they grow here in the Southwest though.
I have a harry Louder tree and love this one as well , where can I get a start?
I like the Weeping Nootka Cypress. It’s kind of surreal.
I wonder if they’ll grow here. Phoenix might be too hot for it.
Well, I ordered one of your air layering projects and looking forward to get started rooting. Can’t deceide which tree/plant to do first.
I live in Central Florida and I am tired of planting trees and have them die in the Winter.(Winter in Florida?) Who would have known.
Mike, The Nootka is one of my favorites too. When I took Hort. I used it in many of my landscape designs. Beautiful!
Are you implying that Willie Nelson also needs a little pruning?!? lol!
Dave, Willie is fine just the way he is. The clean cut look didn’t work for him.