How big does Dwarf hinoki cypress grow?

About 1.5 m × 80 cm after ten years (height × width).

Is Dwarf hinoki 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 Dwarf hinoki cypress be planted?

Plant it at least 2 m from buildings. Keep it at least 0.5 m from paving.

Dwarf hinoki cypress

Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana Gracilis'

Dwarf hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana Gracilis') is a shrub that reaches 1.5 m × 80 cm after ten years. Light: full sun, part shade. Hardy down to -29 °C.

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

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

The best known dwarf false cypress: glossy dark green foliage in twisted, shell-shaped fans gives it a sculptural, irregular outline that starts out rounded and becomes a broad cone with age. It grows very slowly, reaching about 1 to 1.5 metres in ten years and only 2 to 3 metres after many decades, so it suits rock gardens, Japanese-style gardens, front gardens and large pots, and needs no pruning. Plant it in moist, well-drained, acidic to neutral soil out of strong wind; it dislikes limy ground, standing water and drying out.

Watch out for

In waterlogged, heavy soil Phytophthora root rot kills it, and only good drainage prevents it. On limy, alkaline soil it grows poorly and the foliage yellows. In the hot, dry summers of Central Europe the inner foliage browns and the plant goes bare without watering and mulch, and it does not resprout from old, leafless wood, so bare patches stay; check potted plants daily in summer. On cold, sunny, windy winter days the foliage can scorch, so give it a sheltered spot and water it on frost-free winter days. As a member of the cypress family it can be attacked by the juniper jewel beetle (Lamprodila festiva) and cypress bark beetles, mainly when weakened by drought: the jewel beetle's larvae tunnel under the bark and whole branches die suddenly. Spider mites may appear in hot, dry weather and, less often, shoot tip blight.

Key facts

Light: Full sun, Part shade
Water need: Medium
Care: Low
Size after 10 years: 1.5 m × 80 cm
Hardiness: down to -29 °C
Foliage: Evergreen

Group	Shrub
Light	Full sun, Part shade
Size after 10 years	1.5 m × 80 cm
Ultimate size	1.5–3 m × 1–2.5 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	Low
Root aggressiveness	Low
Suckering	no
Spreading	Low
Distance from buildings	at least 2 m
Distance from paving	at least 0.5 m
Litter	not typical
Planting distance	100 cm
For dogs	no data
For cats	no data
For children	Toxic (uncertain)
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 18, 2026 · How our data is made

Appears in these lists

Shrubs for part shade Evergreen plants Plants for containers Low-maintenance shrubs Low shrubs