Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Minima Aurea - Lawson Cypress

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 'Minima Aurea' is a variety of Lawson Cypress of small size that has a lovely rounded and conical habit, adorned with bright golden foliage. With a regular and dense growth, and a very slow growth rate, this small conifer makes a big impact in a rockery, planted as a solitary specimen, or even in a container on the terrace.

The Lawson's Cypress, in Latin Chamaecyparis lawsoniana and sometimes called the false cypress, is a majestic conifer from the cupressaceae family, native to the moist coastal forests of the northwest United States. In its natural habitat, it often reaches heights of over 30m (98ft 5in), with a trunk diameter approaching 1.20m (3ft 11in). Its habit is straight and conical, and its trailing branches form soft curtains adorned with fairly dark green foliage, with bluish reflections. It has given rise to numerous cultivars, among which there is a wide selection of plants of modest stature, better suited to the size of our gardens. This false cypress is very cold-hardy (-20°C (-4°F)), but it is sensitive to drought.

The 'Minima Aurea' variety shows a round habit when young. Over the years, it rises to adopt a broadly conical shape, slightly taller than wide. At the age of 10, this conifer measures about 50cm (19.7in) in height. Eventually, it will reach a height of about 1m (3ft 4in) with a spread of 80cm. It produces slender and flattened branches covered with small scale-like leaves, which are not prickly. The colour of the young foliage is a bright golden, then it becomes a bit greener.

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 'Minima Aurea', with its small size and neat appearance, is suitable for ornamenting small spaces, both in the ground and in pots. It can be planted prominently as a solitary specimen. The architectural qualities of dwarf conifers deserve to be invited more often into our gardens, where they bring a permanent structure. These plants are rather discreet in summer and become prominent again in winter when the flowers have left our gardens. Perfect in a contemporary setting, conifers also have their place in more classic, even romantic landscapes: they mark pathways, border terraces, or fill the corner of a large shrub border. To accompany the Lawson Cypress 'Minima Aurea', consider ground cover plants such as cerastiums or achilleas, for example. Cyclamens also form magnificent flowering carpets in autumn or late winter, and they will be perfect for dressing the base of this conifer.