Cryptomeria japonica Vilmoriniana

Cryptomeria japonica Vilmoriniana is one of the best dwarf forms of the Japanese Cedar. Everything is reduced in this variety, from its very short needles to its vegetation, including its numerous branches. It forms a compact and bushy ball of bright green for most of the year, transforming in autumn and winter under a coat tinted with brownish-red. Its limited, slow growth and good ability to be grown in containers make this evergreen shrub an excellent choice for embellishing small gardens, rockeries and terraces. Dwarf selections of Cryptomeria japonica are generally much more adaptable than their giant ancestor that haunts the damp forests of Japan: these small evergreen shrubs tolerate dry soils better and tolerate the presence of limestone in the soil.

Cryptomeria japonica is a very large conifer from the Taxodiaceae family native to Japan. In its country of origin, this tree is commonly planted around religious temples. It is a species from a light and mild oceanic climate, that is both wet all year round and mild in winter. In Asia, this forest tree resembling a sequoia sometimes reaches 60 m (196 ft 11 in) in height, planted on a trunk of 4 m (13 ft 1 in) in diameter covered with a reddish-brown bark that peels off in vertical flakes. In more northerly latitudes, it still reaches 30 to 40 m (98 ft 5 in to 131 ft 2 in) in height. The evergreen foliage of this conifer is composed of needles spirally arranged around the branches. The Japanese cedar has given rise to many cultivars selected for their small growth, the appearance of their foliage, their cold resistance and their better tolerance to cooler climates.

'Vilmoriniana' is an old British variety still appreciated for its compact habit and ease of cultivation. Growing very slowly, it will reach 60 cm (23.6 in) in all directions at the age of 10 years and barely more than 1 m (3 ft 4 in) after many years. Its overall habit is spherical and its dense vegetation is composed of short branches. The bark of this small tree has a beautiful reddish-brown colour that adds to its charm. Its adult foliage, also very dense, is composed of short and curved needles of a beautiful light and bright green. The summer shoots are lighter green. The foliage turns red and brown in autumn and winter, bringing some life to the somewhat bare garden. This variety is hardy down to -15 °C (5 °F), requires no pruning and can be trained as a bonsai.

Cryptomeria japonica Vilmoriniana is a plant that brings volume and colour to the garden no matter the season. Its foliage and spherical habit highlight all other plants during the summer months, and its autumn and winter shades allow for unexpected and colourful combinations. Thanks to its ease of cultivation, its personality, and its very limited growth, it is a perfect plant for small gardens, rockeries, flower beds and terraces. This plant goes well with large stones, geometric lines and masonry works. It can be combined with other shrubs for rockeries (Abelia prostrata, Berberis darwinii or thunbergii atropurpurea Nana, heathers), and dwarf conifers with prostrate, spherical or columnar habits, of different colours. The true graphic qualities of conifers naturally impose themselves in the design of a contemporary garden, which prefers the aesthetics of forms, silhouettes and textures to the waltz of blooms. These plants with their reassuring permanence structurally and durably shape a flower bed, mark the paths, border the terrace, easily replacing the strong presence of trimmed boxwood or holly. The key is to play with volumes and colours.

Uses/Properties:

The wood of the Japanese Cedar is pleasantly fragrant, of a very beautiful pink-red colour and light but resistant and rot-proof. It is widely used in Japan in all types of construction, both outdoors and indoors.