How big does Lawson cypress grow?

About 4 m × 1.5 m after ten years (height × width). Its ultimate size is 15–30 m × 3–6 m.

Is Lawson cypress hardy?

Hardy down to -29 °C (USDA zone 4, RHS H7). It gets through winter in every part of the country.

How far from the house should Lawson cypress be planted?

Plant it at least 8 m from buildings. Keep it at least 1.5 m from paving.

How much water does Lawson cypress need?

Water need: medium. Drought tolerance: low.

Lawson cypress

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana

Lawson cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana) is a large tree that reaches 4 m × 1.5 m after ten years. Light: full sun, part shade. Hardy down to -29 °C. Drought tolerance: low.

Illustration of Lawson cypress — An illustration of the typical shape of the mature plant, not a photo.

What it's good for, and what it isn't

A soft, scale-leaved evergreen that is grown in gardens almost only as cultivars: slim columns or cones in blue-green, green or yellow that stay far smaller than the wild tree, which tops 50 metres (about 1.5 to 3 metres after ten years, eventually 2 to 10 metres depending on the cultivar). Good as a specimen, for screening or in a large tub, and it hardly needs pruning. Give it moist but well-drained soil and a sheltered, more humid spot, because it copes badly with dry air and drought and not at all with waterlogging.

Watch out for

Its most serious problem is Phytophthora root and collar rot: Lawson cypress is among the most susceptible garden plants. The foliage slowly fades to dull grey-green and then brown and the plant usually dies; there is no cure, so avoid heavy, wet or waterlogged soil and do not replant where one has already died this way. Phytophthora lateralis, the specialist pathogen that devastates the species in North America, has also turned up in Western Europe in recent years. In the hot, dry summers of Central Europe it suffers from heat and dry air unless watered and goes bare inside, and in cold winters the sunny, windward side can scorch. Weakened plants may also be attacked by the juniper jewel beetle, whose larvae tunnel under the bark and make whole branches die suddenly. Shops sell almost only its dwarf or columnar cultivars, which stay a fraction of the size of the species: check the size of the cultivar you choose before you buy.

Key facts

Light: Full sun, Part shade
Water need: Medium
Care: Medium
Size after 10 years: 4 m × 1.5 m
Hardiness: down to -29 °C
Foliage: Evergreen

All details

Group	Large tree
Light	Full sun, Part shade
Size after 10 years	4 m × 1.5 m
Ultimate size	15–30 m × 3–6 m
Hardiness	down to -29 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Soil	Average garden soil, Acidic, Clay, Sandy
Foliage	Evergreen
Flowering	no data
Water need	Medium
Drought tolerance	Low
Maintenance	Medium
Root aggressiveness	Low
Suckering	no
Spreading	Low
Distance from buildings	at least 8 m
Distance from paving	at least 1.5 m
Litter	not typical
Planting distance	400 cm
For dogs	no data
For cats	no data
For children	no data
Typical price	no data

Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 17, 2026 · How our data is made

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