Japanese cedar

Cryptomeria japonica

Japanese cedar carries soft, awl-shaped foliage in dense sprays and a naturally strong vertical habit — most trees are trained as tall, formal or slightly informal uprights rather than fought into a horizontal line. It prefers humidity and dislikes drying out between waterings more than most conifers on this list.

Care at a glance

Watering: Keep evenly moist; cryptomeria dislikes drying out. Roughly every 2 days in spring, 2 in summer, 3 in autumn and 6 in winter.
Light: Full sun to light shade.
Winter: Hardy once established; young trees want shelter below this. Protect it when the forecast drops below -12 °C.
Feeding: Every 21 days, Apr to Oct, paused in the hottest weeks.
Repotting: Every 2 to 3 years, as buds swell, in Mar or Apr.
Growth: Moderate growth. Hardy in zones 6 to 9.

The work calendar

Months for each kind of work on a Japanese cedar
Work	JJan	FFeb	MMay	JJun	JJul	OOct	NNov	DDec
Prune				Jun	Jul
Wire	Jan	Feb				Oct	Nov	Dec
Pinch			May	Jun

Styles that suit it

Moyogi Chokkan Sokan Sankan

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