‘Nana’ Hinoki cypress is a true dwarf cultivar. It is an evergreen shrub in the Cupressaceae (cypress) family. The parent plant is native to Japan. The genus name comes from the Greek words chamai , which means dwarf, and kyparissos , which means cypress tree. ‘Nana’ grows well in full sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained soil along with a humid atmosphere. It is very slow-growing and after 10 years may only reach 8 inches tall, although it eventually will reach 3 feet tall and 4 feet wide. It does not transplant well. Dark-green foliage forms twisting, fan-shaped branchlets in dense, tiered layers and have a sweet fragrance when crushed. At maturity, it forms a compact, flattened globe with horizontal branches. Its small size contributes beautifully to small-scale plantings, including border fronts, rock, and container gardens. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Somewhat susceptible to juniper blight, root rot, and insect pests such as bagworms. VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Chamaecyparis obtusa .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Fills a similar nicheChamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana Lutea'Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Nana'Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Tsukumo'
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Shrub
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in. | Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Rounded
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Needled Evergreen
Leaf color
Green; White
Leaf type
Needles
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Obtuse
Leaf value
Fragrant
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Scale-like deep green leaves grow in a dense fan shape
Flower color
Green
Flower detail
No true flowers - the pollen bearing cones are small and often reddish, growing from the branch tips.
Fruit detail
No true fruit - female seed-bearing cones are green when immature turning to brown.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Small Space
Landscape theme
Asian Garden; Rock Garden
Design feature
Border; Foundation Planting
Garden tags
#evergreen #rock garden #dwarf #shrub #fantz #full sun tolerant #partial shade tolerant #border front #Asian garden #small spaces #low hedge
Problems & Resistance
Insect problems
Bagworms in Ornamental Landscapes; Juniper Pest Management Calendar