It is called a cedar but it is a cypress tree.
What Is a Monotypic Genus?
Light
Japanese cedars enjoy the sunlight; however, they tolerate some shade or filtered sun.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
The tree will thrive and perform its best in full sun, ideally six hours of direct sunlight daily.
Soil
While it prefers rich, acidic, consistently moist but well-drained soil,C.
japonicawill grow in most average, well-drained soil.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Drainage is critical, as soggy soil will lead toroot rotor other fungal diseases.
The Japanese cedar is somewhat fussy when pH is concerned.
It grows well inacidic to neutralsoil.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Water
After it is established, the Japanese cedar will be somewhat drought-tolerant.
It is not tolerant of pollution and will not thrive in an environment with poor-quality air.
Fertilizer
The evergreen will benefit from somefertilization.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
For the amount to use, follow product label instructions.
Japanese cedar can reach massive sizes and live centuries long.
Dwarf Japanese cedarcultivarsare no taller than a foot or two.
Golden Japanese cedars appear yellow or gold, providing a nice contrast next to other evergreen varieties.
However, it is fine to remove any dead or diseased branches at any time of the year.
These trees can be maintained as bonsai trees.
Never remove more than a third of a tree in one season.
Propagating Japanese Cedar
Japanese cedar is best propagated by semi-hardwood stem cuttings in late summer.
It can also be grown from seed.
They require good drainage, so use pots with ample drainage holes and well-draining soil.
Most soils can be amended with perlite to improve drainage.
For new stem cuttings, you might start with an 8-inch pot.
It will need transplanting into larger pots every two to three years during the young growth phase.
To repot, ensure the new pot can accommodate the root ball plus 8 inches of width.
Put it in a sheltered spot if it’s not in a cold frame.
The beetles are slower to form infestations and can be treated withpyrethrin-based productsto eliminate them.
More common are fungal diseases such as leaf blight andleaf spot.
Leaf blight looks like interior foliage turning brown, black, or gray.
To avoid this fungal issue, ensure this tree receives morning sun to dry its dew-laden foliage.
Fungal sprays can help keep this fungal problem away.
Also, prune away excessive interior branches so the tree has ample airflow to its foliage.
Leaf blight can kill young trees if not treated immediately.
Choosing dwarf varieties and using bonsai manicuring will keep these trees about 1 to 2 feet tall.
It also has a pleasant fragrance, much like that ofred cedar.
Although considered evergreens, Japanese cedar trees turn reddish-brown in the winter, appearing to be dying.
Japanese cedars are long-lived trees.
Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States.
Species Spotlight: Japanese Cedar.West Virginia Botanic Garden.
