Cryptomeria Japonica ‘Elegans viridis’ (Japanese Cedar)

It is a peculiarity of this coniferous tree that it retains its juvenile foliage. Youthful and billowing throughout its life, it will mature into a shapely, bushy and dense evergreen tree. It has lovely red bark and softly-drooping branches swathed in fine and feathery fur. The ultimate form is broadly conical and it can top 10 metres tall and up to 4 metres wide over 40 years. Really impressive

Plumes of softly-needled boughs billow from a neat central trunk, and given space in an uncrowded area this tree will merrily create a silhouette of lovely symmetry all by itself. Very self-sufficient and requiring no intervention from you or your gardeners, thank you very much. This tree looks wonderful against the skyline and makes a capital candidate for a specimen tree with oomph. If you like, it can be added as a focal point in a (large) mixed planting of shrubs and smaller trees. And to cap it off, unlike other members of the Cryptomeria genus, ‘Elegans Viridis’ is evergreen. Winner.

Grow this tree in sun to partial shade. It’s a hardy cultivar but establishes best in a sheltered garden. It is happy in any type of soil that is deep, moist and well-drained but do put it in the ground: do not even consider potting it.

N.B. When clipping several plants with the same tool, have a bucket containing a 5% bleach solution and swish your blades around for 30 seconds between plants to sterilise them. This will help avoid the chance of cross contamination of disease.

As with all woody plants, plant high, exposing as much of the taper at the base of the trunk as possible. Allowing soil to accumulate round the base of a tree can be fatal. Keep very well watered when first planted.