Plant of the week: Cryptomeria japonica ‘Elegans’

The outstanding award of ‘Plant of the week’ goes to the very elegant Cryptomeria japonica ‘Elegans’ (Japanese Plume Cedar)

Once winter kicks in there will be many gaps left in the garden once the deciduous trees have finally shed their leaves. I always believe, it is essential then to include elegant evergreen specimens in your garden to ensure you have a striking winter accent tree for the grey days of the winter. For that reason the Cryptomeria is a perfect example particularly as it alters its colour for autumn/winter. Which means that it can be used as a single specimen or dense hedge which has seasonal colouring.

From spring to summer the soft feathery blue-green foliage of this dense slow growing evergreen conifer provide a columnar shape with a single straight trunk, and come autumn and winter it takes on a red bronze hue.

Easy to grow with little pruning required, as it maintains its pyramidal shape well, it can be pruned to give a tiered look and allows the ornamental reddish brown bark to show through.With 15 foot in height and spread of 10 feet it is still perfect for the smaller garden.

Sarah’ Tip

To grow well Cryptomeria require fertile deep loamy moisture retentive soils in a sheltered position with abundant rainfall.