Weeping Nootka Cypress

Weeping trees have a special charm, and for a medium-sized one that needs no special staking, it’s hard to beat the Weeping Nootka Cypress. This native tree from the northwest is a forest giant, but the weeping form is much smaller, growing no more than 35 feet tall, and often staying a lot smaller. It will be no more than 12 feet wide when mature. The central trunk has many horizontal side-branches that carry smaller pendulous branches and sprays of hanging clusters of blue-green foliage. These fan-like stems give a beautiful and graceful look to this tree, and develop naturally. Older trees may carry clusters of pea-like cones no more than ½ inch across. This is a superb evergreen for planting on a lawn, bringing color and grace to any garden. Grow it too at the back of shrub beds, on slopes, or at the edge of woodland areas. It also grows well in low-lying spots and along streams and lakes.

• Graceful pendulous branches growing from a strong, upright central trunk
• Beautiful sprays of blue-green foliage
• Elegant smaller tree, maturing no more than 35 feet tall, and often less
• Perfect lawn specimen, giving a charming look
• Great choice for cooler parts of the country

Plant the Weeping Nootka Cypress in full sun. In zones 6 and 7 it will do well with a little afternoon shade. The soil should be rich, moist and well-drained. It isn’t suitable for dry soils, or for areas with hot summers. It grows at a moderate pace, is easy to grow, and unlikely to ever have any pest or disease problems. No staking is needed to keep it upright, with weeping branches, but we do recommend you keep a single, central leading stem. This reduces the risk of storm damage, and gives a more attractive tree. Just watch for any stems growing parallel to the topmost branch, and cut them back by two-thirds, to keep one stem taller than all the others. It’s unlikely, but if you need to prune it, always cut just after a branch on the top of the stem, to hide the cut and keep a natural look.