Snow Queen Port Orford Cedar
Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 'Snow Queen'
Height: 10 feet
Spread: 10 feet
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 5b
Other Names: Lawson Falsecypress, Oregon Cedar
Group/Class: The Guardian® Series
Brand: Monrovia
Description:
A dense, robust, and rounded shrub, with flattened, pendulous sprays of silver-blue tinged evergreen foliage; very disease resistant; remains dwarf and compact without pruning; an attractive low shrub border accent or formal specimen; great for containers
Ornamental Features
Snow Queen Port Orford Cedar is a dwarf conifer which is primarily valued in the landscape or garden for its ornamental globe-shaped form. It has attractive bluish-green foliage with hints of silvery blue which emerges gold in spring. The scale-like sprays of foliage are highly ornamental and remain bluish-green throughout the winter. The shaggy antique red bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape.
Landscape Attributes
Snow Queen Port Orford Cedar is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a more or less rounded form. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which can make it a great accent feature on this basis alone.
This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Snow Queen Port Orford Cedar is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Accent
- Vertical Accent
- Hedges/Screening
- General Garden Use
Planting & Growing
Snow Queen Port Orford Cedar will grow to be about 10 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 10 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more.
This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for acidic soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selection of a native North American species.