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Key characteristics

Family: Cupressaceae
Height: 4 to 6 ft
Width: 4 to 6 ft
Flower color: Inconspicuous; small seed cones rather than showy flowers
Foliage color: Bright lime-gold evergreen sprays deeper green inside the plant where shaded
Bloom time: Spring, with small seed cones
Light: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low; slow-growing, naturally upright pyramidal habit needing little pruning
Growing zone: USDA zones 5 to 8
Wildlife: Evergreen structure provides year-round cover and shelter for small birds and other garden wildlife

Shrubs

Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Sunspray'

Sunspray Hinoki Cypress

Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Sunspray' is an evergreen Hinoki cypress with an upright, informal pyramidal form and luminous golden foliage. Fan-like sprays of soft, scale-like leaves show creamy gold to warm lime tones, while shaded interior growth stays deeper green. Dense, layered branching creates a sculpted look that works well in borders, rock gardens, and containers.

Native to Japan in the wild, Hinoki cypress has long been valued for timber and gardens, and 'Sunspray' arose at Duncan & Davies Nursery in New Zealand before entering the nursery trade in the early 1990s.

Light

Full sun to part shade

Water

Medium

Bloom time

Spring, with small seed cones

Find this plant

Works well in

Sun Gardens
Rock Gardens
Containers
Specimen Plants

Companion plants

Yarrow · Oregon grape · Coreopsis · Blanket flower · Phlox · Bulgarian honey garlic

Design tip

Golden foliage can brighten a garden throughout the year, especially when surrounded by deeper greens that make the color stand out. Its informal pyramidal shape also adds gentle height, creating a useful vertical accent without the stiffness of a tightly columnar evergreen.