Chamaecyparis pisifera Golden Mop - Sawara Cypress

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Golden Mop', also called Sawara Cypress, is a small conifer. It forms a rounded bush with flexible and dense growth composed of thread-like golden-yellow branchlets. Slightly tousled, this false cypress takes on the somewhat languid appearance of an aquatic plant. It grows slowly, not exceeding 80cm (32in) in height at 10 years old. While perfect in rock gardens and small spaces, this conifer also adapts remarkably well to container cultivation. It prefers a sunny or semi-shaded exposure, in moist but light and well-drained, humus-rich soil. 

Chamaecyparis pisifera is a robust Japanese species belonging to the Cupressaceae family, which can reach 45m (148ft) in its natural habitat. It is mainly used for its rot-resistant lemon-yellow wood in the production of lacquered furniture and for the construction of numerous buildings such as palaces in its country of origin. It has given rise to numerous cultivars, classified into four groups.

'Golden Mop' forms a beautiful rounded bush, measuring 1.5m (5ft) in all directions after many years. By the age of 10, it will measure between 70 to 80cm (27 to 32in) in height. Its slender and tight branchlets are flexible, slightly trailing, and covered with golden foliage. The juvenile leaves are needle-like (linear, rigid and pointed) and light green, while the darker adult leaves are scale-like and pointed. The undersides of these leaves show a marked white band, corresponding to a row of stomata. Its barely visible bark is dark red and filiform in appearance.

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Golden Mop' is appreciated for its original habit and the brightness of its foliage. It is ideal for planting in pots on a terrace and in a rock garden. With its slow growth and round silhouette, which requires no pruning, it will work wonders alongside taller varieties with columnar, pyramidal, or narrow cone habits. The architectural qualities of dwarf conifers naturally impose themselves in the design of a contemporary garden, which prefers the aesthetics of shapes, silhouettes, and textures over the fleeting beauty of flowers. With their reassuring permanence, these plants durably structure a bed. They can mark pathways, and border terraces, easily replacing the strong presence of trimmed boxwood. They serve as a backdrop for small roses, peonies, or tousled grasses with a complementary temperament. They can also be planted in a mixed hedge or with ground cover plants such as aubrietas and cerastium, as well as flowering shrubs. The key is to play with volumes and colours.