Plant Primer: Argentea Compact dwarf Lawson cypress

Argentea Compact dwarf Lawson cypress

Light: Full sun-part shade

Height: 18 inches

Spread: 14 inches

Hardiness: Zones 5a-9b

Origin: Plant sport found in New Zealand

Of all the interesting dwarf conifers, the Argentea Compact dwarf Lawson cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Argentea Compacta’) is one of the slowest growing and most beautiful.

The leaves are petite and a lovely shade of pale butter yellow. (The color is often described as cream but is definitely a yellow-green.)

The cypress is a compact variety of the plant variously called a Port Orford cedar or Lawson cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana). It is found only in southwestern Oregon and northern California and was discovered in the 1850s by collectors working for Lawson & Sons of Edinburgh, Scotland.

In 1970, Argentea Compact dwarf Lawson cypress was found in a New Zealand nursery.

The cultivar will add only 2 inches of growth a year, making it a perfect addition to a rock or alpine garden, a garden railroad or even as part of the late-fall or winter tablescape.

See this cutie on the carousel in the Dorothy M. Davis Showhouse as part of Gardens Aglow at Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.

— Barbara Arnold, Franklin Park Conservatory