Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Pearly Swirls ('Spicwirl') (v)

RHS Plant Profile

Lawson's cypress [Pearly Swirls]

RHS

Synonyms

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 'Spicwirl'

Conifers Shrubs

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A shrubby, rounded, dwarf conifer to 1m in 10 years, with flattened sprays of grey-green foliage, heavily marbled with white. A good selection for a container or rock garden

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

1-1.5 metres

Max Spread

1-1.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 10–20 years
Max Spread: 1-1.5 metres
Max Height: 1-1.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: South–facing or West–facing or East–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H6
Drought Resistance: Yes

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Cupressaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Chamaecyparis are evergreen trees, usually of narrowly ovoid or columnar outline, with much-branched sprays of small scale-like leaves, and small, globose cones; tiny red male cones are conspicuous in a few cultivars
Name Status: Trade

How to Grow

Cultivation

Tolerant of chalky soils but best in a moist but well-drained, preferably neutral to slightly acidic soil in sun. If planting in a container use peat-free, loam-based potting compost

Propagation

Propagate by semi-ripe cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Patio and container plants
Rock garden
Low Maintenance

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, juniper scale and shoot-boring moths

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus and Phytophthora root diseases