Virginia Tech Dendrology

Sawara-cedar Cupressaceae Chamaecyparis pisifera Siebold & Zucc. symbol: CHPI12
Leaf: Scale-like, appressed, dark green above, with a white broken pattern beneath, somewhat flattened.
Flower: Species is monoecious; males very small (1/8 inch) elongated cone, green, turning brown; females somewhat larger, round, light green.
Fruit: Round, 1/4 inch in diameter, numerous wrinkled looking scales.
Twig: Covered in dark green scales, later turning brown and scaly.
Bark: Grayish to reddish brown with fibrous, peeling strips, can become somewhat furrowed.
Form: Straight form, narrow, open crown, lower limbs die back with age.
Looks like: Hinoki falsecypress - Atlantic white-cedar - northern white-cedar - Leyland cypress

Additional Range Information: Chamaecyparis pisifera is planted in the USDA hardiness zones shown above and is not known to widely escape cultivaton. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database - Horticulture Information
All material 2021 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information