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Cryptomeria japonica 'Cristata'

Japanese crested cedar

Cupressaceae

Japan and central-southern China (species); cultivar of garden origin

Deer Resistant Container Friendly

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 6–9

Overview

Cryptomeria japonica 'Cristata' is a narrow evergreen conifer reaching 10-20 feet (3-6 m) tall and 6-10 feet (1.8-3 m) wide, far smaller than the 50-foot (15 m) species. Scattered along the branches are fasciated growths in which many shoots fuse into flattened, crested masses resembling a cockscomb, 2-5 inches (5-13 cm) wide. Between these crests the foliage is the awl-shaped, spirally arranged green needles typical of the species, each 0.25-0.5 inch (6-13 mm) long, curving inward toward the shoot. The green deepens through summer and turns bronze-green in cold winters, returning to green in spring. Round brown cones about 0.5-1 inch (1.3-2.5 cm) across ripen in autumn. It grows in full sun to part shade in moist, well-drained, slightly acid soil and is intolerant of drought, drying wind, and waterlogged ground. The crested growths can collect snow and break in heavy storms. Hardy in USDA zones 6-9, this cultivar is grown as a specimen and in mixed conifer and shrub borders.

Native Range

The species Cryptomeria japonica is native to Japan and parts of central and southern China, where it forms tall forests in moist mountain valleys. The cultivar 'Cristata' originated in cultivation and does not occur in the wild.

Suggested Uses

Grown as a specimen conifer in small gardens, in mixed conifer and shrub borders, and in Japanese-style plantings, spaced 6-10 feet (1.8-3 m) apart. The crested foliage is also grown in large containers while young.

How to Identify

Identified by the flattened, fan- or cockscomb-shaped crests of fused shoots scattered among otherwise normal branches, each crest 2-5 inches (5-13 cm) wide. The needles are short, awl-shaped, and spirally set, curving in toward green shoots that bronze in winter. The crested growths set it apart from the plain-foliaged species and from band-leaved forms such as C. japonica 'Spiralis'.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height10' - 20'

Width/Spread6' - 10'

Reaches mature size in approximately 18 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~3 weeks

Spring

As a conifer, this cultivar does not flower. Small pollen cones cluster at shoot tips and shed yellow pollen in late winter to early spring. Round brown seed cones about 0.5-1 inch (1.3-2.5 cm) across mature in autumn and release winged seeds.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

Green, bronzing in cold winters, recovering green in spring

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-8 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.0 - 7.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam sand clay

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

15-20 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow in full sun to part shade in moist, well-drained soil that is neutral to slightly acid, around pH 5.0-7.0. Water regularly during dry spells, since the roots are intolerant of prolonged drought and the foliage browns in drying wind. Shelter from strong cold wind reduces winter bronzing and dieback. Established plants need little feeding beyond a spring mulch. Snow and ice can lodge in the crests and snap branches, so growth is sometimes thinned in regions with heavy snowfall. Hardy in USDA zones 6-9.

Pruning

Prune in spring to remove dead, broken, or crowded branches and to show the crested growths. It does not regrow from bare old wood, so cuts stay within green, foliage-bearing shoots. Removing snow-damaged crests keeps the form even.

Pruning Schedule

early spring