Are you searching for an evergreen shrub that combines elegance, ease of care, and year-round visual appeal? Look no further than the Soft Serve® False Cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Dow Whiting’). This remarkable plant, a Proven Winners® selection, brings a soft, graceful texture to any landscape, whether planted in garden beds or showcased in containers. Its vibrant green foliage, highlighted with a subtle silver-blue shimmer in sunlight, ensures your garden remains captivating throughout the seasons.
This improved variety of False Cypress is celebrated for its refined beauty and manageable size. The Soft Serve® maintains the beloved fern-like branches characteristic of False Cypress, but in a compact, conical form that fits perfectly into smaller gardens or as part of more extensive landscaping designs. Its uniform pyramidal shape and dwarf stature make it an excellent choice for various applications, from formal garden layouts to more relaxed, natural settings.
Imagine a plant that offers the structural elegance of a Dwarf Alberta Spruce but with a more relaxed and airy texture. The Soft Serve® False Cypress delivers just that. It’s a slow grower, reaching a mature height of around 10 feet, and naturally develops its delightful shape with minimal intervention. This low-maintenance evergreen is a true landscape asset, providing beauty and requiring very little effort from your side.
Creative Ways to Use Soft Serve® False Cypress in Your Landscape
The versatility of the Soft Serve® False Cypress opens up numerous creative possibilities for your garden design.
Consider positioning a single specimen near a staircase, acting as a sophisticated backdrop for seasonal container arrangements. Alternatively, use several to create a seamless and visually appealing transition between different areas of your yard, such as leading from a side passage to the main backyard.
Incorporate them as anchor points in long perennial borders or garden beds. Planting them in groups of 3, 5, 7, or 9 in a gentle zig-zag pattern can establish a wonderfully soft and textured backdrop for flowering shrubs like roses or hydrangeas, enhancing the overall depth and interest of your garden.
For collectors of dwarf evergreens, the Soft Serve® False Cypress is a must-have specimen. It pairs beautifully with other conifers like the Bird’s Nest Spruce or Baker’s Colorado Blue Spruce, its upright form and unique texture contributing dimension and sophistication to a conifer collection.
Beyond aesthetics, this plant is also practical. Use Soft Serve® False Cypress to establish a dense screen for privacy or to block unwanted views. For a low-maintenance hedge of 8 to 10 feet in height, plant them approximately 3 feet apart from trunk to trunk. Opt for larger plant sizes for a quicker hedge establishment.
For year-round patio appeal, plant Soft Serve® in large decorative containers. Paired containers at an entryway make a striking sentinel display, welcoming guests with evergreen charm.
And for bird lovers, Soft Serve® False Cypress is a haven. Songbirds and quail are known to seek shelter within its branches during winter, adding a touch of wildlife to your garden.
Key Features of Soft Serve® False Cypress Chamaecyparis:
- Elegant, Soft, Fern-Like Foliage
- Compact Conical Shape
- Year-Round Visual Interest
- Ornamental Form Enhances Garden Design
- Excellent as Specimens, Hedges, and Container Plants
Pro Plant Tips for Soft Serve® False Cypress Care
Choosing the right location is crucial. Protect your Soft Serve Cypress from harsh winter sun and strong winds. It thrives in cooler coastal regions and on eastern slopes in hotter, drier climates. Ensure consistent moisture, especially during summer months, as it prefers to be on the moist side.
Minimal pruning is needed, making it a truly low-maintenance plant. If desired, light pruning can be done in the summer to maintain a formal hedge shape.
Soft Serve® False Cypress is highly adaptable but performs best in moist, well-drained soils with a slightly acidic pH, ideally between 5.5 and 6. If your soil pH is higher, amend the planting area with an acidifying planting mix. Consider incorporating about 25% Dr. Earths Acid Lovers Planting Mix into your soil and fertilize four times a year with Dr. Earths Acid Lovers Organic and Natural Acid Fertilizer to maintain optimal pH levels and plant health.
After planting, water thoroughly and apply a 3-4 inch layer of mulch around the base, extending about 3 feet in diameter, to keep roots cool and reduce moisture evaporation. Ensure mulch does not touch the trunk to prevent potential issues.
Living in deer country? Soft Serve® is recognized as deer-resistant, but for extra protection, especially when newly planted, apply a deer repellent.
Soft Serve® False Cypress Chamaecyparis Care Highlights:
- Thrives in Full Sun
- Moderate Moisture Needs; Prefers Well-Drained Soil
- Summer Pruning (Minimal Pruning Required)
- Low Maintenance and Easy to Grow
- Deer Resistant, Reducing Garden Pests
- Salt Tolerant, Suitable for Roadside Planting
This stunning small tree offers year-round beauty and effortless elegance. Enhance your landscape today – order your Soft Serve® False Cypress from Proven Winners® and NatureHills.com now and enjoy its graceful charm for years to come!
