Woody > Chamaecyparis > Chamaecyparis lawsoniana > Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 'Golden Showers'
Chamaecyparis lawsoniana
'Golden Showers'
Golden Showers Falsecypress
Origin: This cultivar originated from Chamaecyparis lawsoniana selected as a seedling in John Mitsch Nursery, located in Aurora, Oregon, USA. Eventually John Mitsch Nursery introduced the tree in 1974.
Mike's
Opinion
"
This evergreen is a great addition to any garden as an accent or specimen tree to brighten up a dull coloured garden in the winter. The tree thrives when placed in full sun. It has beautiful golden yellow variegated foliage that stays on the tree year round.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Cupressaceae |
| Genus |
| Chamaecyparis |
| Species |
| lawsoniana |
| Cultivar |
| 'Golden Showers' |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Tree (evergreen) |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 5b - 7b |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 4b - 6a |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H7 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| (-15) - (-10) |
| Temperature (°F) |
| (-26) - (-23) |
| Height |
| 1.5 - 4.5 m |
| Spread |
| 2.5 m |
Photographs
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Golden Showers’ is a beautiful golden yellow variegated evergreen that does not revert when the seasons change. The variegated scale-like foliage and slightly pendulous branches are dense and create a soft appearance. The young bark is yellow and scaly, and matures into a reddish-brown colour with a more fissured texture. Fruit and flowers are very small and do not add any ornamental value to the tree. |
| Landscape |
| Golden Showers Falsecypress can be used as an accent or specimen plant to brighten up the garden. They are fairly compact and can also be planted together as a colourful screen or hedge, and can be pruned and cared for as a bonsai. |
| Cultivation |
| This tree prefers moist well-draining soils and will thrive in neutral to acidic soils; pH 5.0 - 7.0. It can be planted in full sun to partial shade, but it needs some protection from the wind. Note that the golden colour comes from the amount of sun it receives, plant in full sun for the brightest most vibrant colour. This cultivar is pollution tolerant, and cold tolerant. |
| Shape |
| Upright, dense, pyramidal growth with pendulous branch tips. |
| Growth |
| Medium |
| ID Characteristic |
| Pendulous branch tips. Flat scale like foliage, with a greenish-yellow tinge; greener closer to the stems and yellow at the tips. The colour will stay all year round, this is distinctive because most evergreens revert their colour with the seasons. Blunt soft rounded tips of leaves with X-shaped stomatal bands; a key identifying characteristic of C. lawsoniana. New bark is a yellow colour, maturing into a reddish-brown. |
| Pests |
| This cultivar is deer resistant, tolerates some pollution, and is resistant to verticillium wilt. However, it is prone to Phytophthora root rot which can cause dieback and wilting. Aside from that this cultivar is relatively pest and disease free. |
| Habitat |
| Horticultural origin. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| The new bark is scaly and yellow, the colour changes with maturity into a red-brown colour. When mature the bark looks almost fibrous, cracking into vertical plates. This tree can be multi stemmed. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| The buds on this tree are very small, less than 2 cm. They are a yellow colour. |
| Leaf Description |
| This tree has dense foliage, and short leaves. The flattened, scale-like leaves grow grouped in fours, in opposite pairs on the stem. X-shaped stomatal bands. Golden yellow and green colour variegation that lasts all year long. Yellow colour appears on the tips of the foliage and green appears closer to the stem. |
| Flower Description |
| The flowers bloom in late March or early April, depending on the zone the tree is in. The flowers last about a month and ripen around September until October. The flower is very small (less than 0.5cm). These flowers are monoecious and are pollinated by the wind. There is no ornamental value added to the tree because the flowers are so small. |
| Fruit Description |
| The dark red-brown cones are pea-sized, and very small (less than 2cm). Circular with scale-like points around it, giving it a mace-like shape. The fruit is not a litter problem and does not attract any wildlife. |
| Colour Description |
| The foliage appears golden yellow from far away. However, examined closely the foliage is green closer to the bark with a gradual colour change to the yellow tips of the foliage. The golden yellow colour will stay on this evergreen year long, no reversion. The bark is yellow when first emerging and matures into a reddish-brown colour with age. Fruit is a reddish-brown colour and ripens into a deeper reddish-brown. |
| Texture Description |
| Medium. |
| Propagation |
| You can propagate Chamaecyparis lawsoniana by a hardwood cutting. For best effect, cut an older branch about 15 cm long in autumn time. You can use rooting hormone to increase the chances of rooting. Make sure to have a heating pad and keep the soil moist. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses (Disclaimer) |
| Lumber from the origin tree C. lawsoniana has been used by Native North American people to create sweat lodges and other buildings/ objects for years. |
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