Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Elwoods Gold - Lawson Cypress

The Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 'Elwood's Gold' is an interesting variety of Lawson's Cypress for its small development, attractive wide and erect columnar habit, and the beautiful golden colour of its spring foliage. This bright variety also has a very slow growth, qualities that are sought after for decorating small spaces and terraces. While not difficult to cultivate, this conifer appreciates sun and loose, well-drained soil, not too dry.

The Lawson's Cypress, sometimes called false cypress, is a majestic conifer of the Cupressaceae family native to the moist coastal forests of the Pacific Northwest United States. In its environment, it often reaches over 30m (98.4ft) in height, with a trunk approaching 1m (3.3ft) in diameter. Its habit is straight and conical, and its drooping branches form soft curtains dressed in fairly dark, bluish-green foliage. It has given rise to numerous cultivars among which there is a wide choice of plants of modest stature, better suited to the size of our gardens.

The 'Elwood's Gold' variety was introduced by Hillier (GB), before 1968. It is a very pretty reduced form of this species. From a young age, it shows a very dense, conical and regular habit, not exceeding 1.50cm (0.6in) in height and 70cm (27.6in) in width after 10 years of cultivation. At maturity, it will form a bush 3m (9.8ft) tall and 1.50m (4.9ft) wide. It produces many slender and flattened branches, covered with two types of scale-like leaves, intense yellow when they emerge at the end of the branches in spring, later taking on a more greyish-green hue, while retaining beautiful chartreuse highlights depending on the light.

The Chamaecyparis lawsonia 'Elwood's Gold', a true cone of light in spring, is ideal for decorating a rock garden, a flowerbed, or even planted in groups of 3 specimens in a container. It does not require pruning. The real graphic qualities of dwarf conifers deserve to be invited more often into our gardens, to which they bring a permanent structure. These rather insignificant plants in summer reassert themselves in winter when the blooms have deserted our gardens. Perfect in a contemporary setting, which prefers the aesthetics of shapes, silhouettes, and textures over flowers, small conifers also have their place in more classic landscapes: they mark the pathways, line the terrace, easily replacing the strong presence of trimmed boxwood. They serve as a backdrop for small roses, peonies, or tousled grasses.  They can also be associated with heathers, other creeping conifers, and ground cover plants. The key is to play with volumes and colours.