Slender Hinoki Cypress

Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Gracilis’

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 5a-8b Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Evergreen Conifer

Height at Maturity: 12-15′

Width at Maturity: 5-6′
Spacing: 5′ apart for solid hedges or screens; 8’+ apart for space between plants

Growth Habit / Form: Conical, Upright

Growth Rate: Moderate

Foliage Color: Rustic Green

Fragrant Foliage: Mild Pine Scent

Sun Needs: Full Sun or Mostly Sun

Water Needs: Average, low when established

Soil Type: Clay, Loam, Sand, Silt

Soil Drainage: Well Drained

Soil pH: 6.0 – 7.5

Maintenance / Care: Very Low

Attracts: Visual Attention

Resistances: Deer – more info, Disease, Drought, Dry Soil, Insect

Description

The Slender Hinoki Cypress is a stately evergreen with a tall and narrow pyramidal form covered in sprays of highly attractive deep green foliage with gracefully arching stem tips that may turn to attractive reddish to burgundy color during winter in colder climates. Though some websites list this variety as “slow growing,” in our gardens we’ve seen a moderate to fast growth rate of about 12 to 24 inches a year in height…not too bad for a Hinoki Cypress! An excellent selection for a privacy screen or to frame in the corners of taller homes and other structures.

If we are currently out of the Slender Hinoki we also offer a very similar and equally attractive selection called Southern Lace Hinoki Cypress

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing naturally in a slender, pyramidal form to 15 feet in height with a width of 5 to 6 feet at the base, the Slender Hinoki Cypress is ideal for use as a focal point specimen, in groupings, or in single or staggered straight or curved rows to for a very handsome privacy screen. Also nice where height is needed to fill narrow spaces or to frame the corners in home foundation plantings. A fine addition to conifer gardens, Asian gardens, bird gardens, rock gardens, and the Xeriscape (low water needs).

Suggested Spacing: 5 feet apart for privacy screens; 10 feet or more apart for space between plants

Note: For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7a, where this Cypress tree is not reliably winter hardy, you’ll be happy to know it can be grown in containers that can be brought indoors during winter and placed back outside when temperatures warm up in spring. That saod, it will need a well-lit indoor location.

Growing Preferences

The Slender Hinoki Cypress is easy to grow in most any moist but well-drained soil of average fertility and full to part sun. It is very tolerant of dry soil conditions when established. Maintenance is minimal with little to no pruning required to keep its naturally narrow and pyramidal form.

Helpful Articles

Click on a link below to get helpful advice from our experts on how to plant, prune, fertilize and water Cypress trees.

How To Plant & Care For Cypress Trees

Privacy Screen Design And Planting Tips

Plant Long & Prosper!

Meet The Wilson Brothers & Staff

Questions? Contact Us!

Not tall, but in very healthy state, perfect shipping———————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy your purchase for years to come! Thanks for the awesome review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Where to find unusual and healthy plants—————————————————————–Thanks for the wonderful review! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

This was the second set of plants ordered. Was skeptical of mail ordering plants but was very pleased. Plants were shipped timely, well packaged, well hydrated, and very healthy looking. All 4 appear to have taken well, despite this very hot summer. Keeping them damp, and they’re looking happy. Very pleased.—————————————————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Ordering was easy and shipping was fast and packaged very well. Tree arrived healthy, would purchase again from them!————————————————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

I couldn’t find this tree locally after searching for a while, so decided to order online.
Picked Wilson Bros based on positive reviews, size of tree available, and price. Tree arrived in perfect condition on time (was concerned about time since it was shipped fedex). I was very impressed by the secure packaging and the wet paper taped around the top of the root ball to hold the moisture and soil in the pot during transit. Tree was on the smaller end of the scale, but hoping it puts on growth fairly quickly as it settles into its new home. Roots look healthy and were not root bound in the container, Foliage was a healthy green as can be seen in photo. I held up my packing slip paper for scale in photo. 10/10 would buy from again as well as recommend to friends. Might update progress of growth in a 6 months to a year.———————————————–Oh it will grow, keep us posted! Thanks for the photos! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

We ordered two false cypress from your nursery. Just wanted to let you know we were very pleased with the trees. And for your fast service. We will be looking forward to doing more business with you. I also wanted you to know that my husband is originally from Griffen georgia. We met when we both worked at gm lordstown. He transferred to Ohio from Ga. The people from the south are so friendly. Thank you again for your great service. Have a great easter and stay well.—————————————————————-One of my favorite conifers! We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

I ordered three and all arrived swiftly and in great shape. Time will tell how they grow well. I am always happy with the plant packing job the folks at Wilson Brothers do.————————————We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the great review and the kind words! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Customer service was great. They even took a photo of the Cypresses they intended to send to me. Plants came boxed up well. I was concerned about the soil coming out of the container, but they had it wrapped in such a fashion that there was no spillage. Plants look great in my yard. Highly recommend.—————————————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the great review and the kind words! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

I have ordered from other companies before, and received sub par plants. These trees arrived vibrant green, and so healthy!! They were packed with such special attention to detail. I was so excited to see such healthy trees!! They have thrived from day one, and they are perfect additions to our garden!! Thank you guys for taking such great care of these beautiful trees!!! We love them!!——————————————We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the great review and the kind words! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

I purchased two of these a few weeks ago and they arrived in very good condition. I planted them within a couple days and they are thriving. I planted them on the corners of my house to compliment existing Hinoki Cypress that have been growing for over 15 years. These are supposed to be moderate growers so should catch up within ten years and fit the space and look great. I can recommend these trees and this company.——————————————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

First time ordering from Wilson Brothers. Quick delivery and secure packing. Tree in great shape.—————————————We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Two of the three were very nice, lush trees. Third one only had foliage on one side with one bare side. Shipped nicely.——————————–We are glad you are pleased with your purchase! I’m sure the one will flush out this season!! If not let us please. Beth | WBG 🙂

Slender Hinoki arrived well packaged and super healthy, which seems to be the norm for Wilson Bros. Looking forward to it growing tall and beautiful and providing structure and screening for my urban-ish garden. Once established and larger, I am going to try my hand at niwaki pruning.——————————————-We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the great review! Beth | WBG 🙂

I just installed 8 plants plus others from you. Believing that a picture is worth a thousand words, I’m sharing these. My home is 21. The front bed under the two windows had very sickly Indian hawthorns, the largest was completely dead, two were bald except the very tips and the fourth was vigorous on the remaining 1/4 (3 years of pruning away dead limbs made a lopsided mess). After removing that one and cleaning him up, I transplanted him to a spot in my backyard. What you see planted, from left to right, a mock orange that I have trained into a tree: front row is 6 Tom Thumb Arborvitae, back row is 2 fire power nandina, the Slender Hinoki, and 2 more nandina. I have left space for one more mock orange. This garden bed is L shaped. The leg of the L has foxtail fern. In the second picture you can see I have foxtail fern scattered about. That bed also has firepower nandina in it. All of the new plants remain happy one week after planting.
The final picture is a bed in my backyard. In it are 3 Hydrangeas from you. On either side of the hydrangeas stand an oak that is native and probably more than 60 years old and a trellis for my star jasmine to enjoy. I originally bought the gorgeous snow cicle hydrangea. It did not like it here. I live in zone 8b and we had a rough dry summer. Hoping these three babies will survive. The one on the left came from you and has been in the ground since Spring. The two new ones look very content for now.
One last note, I have sung your praises with my sister in the Dallas area, my brother in El Paso, all my children from here to Virginia. I shared with the owner of my Landscape company, Vincent U. He is impressed. I love my plants.
Thank you——————————-Thanks for the kind words! We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the great review! Beth | WBG 🙂

Ordered two of these to frame the front living room window. Plants were packaged well and arrived promptly and in good shape. In the ground for about 2 weeks now and they look great.———————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Plant arrived in timely manner and in excellent condition — nice and healthy looking.————————————–We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the great review! Beth | WBG 🙂

Hi Team Wilson,
My Hinoki just arrived. So very fresh & as expected……in excellent condition.
Will plant it tomorrow.
TY very much!—————————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

We received our tree and it was in excellent condition. We also were very pleased with the reasonable price! We cannot wait until it is full grown. Thank you!————————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Ordered Slender Hinoki Cypress in 3 gal pot, arrived very quickly and in terrific shape. Would not hesitate to order again from Wilson Bros.——————————-We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the great review! Beth | WBG 🙂

I received a beautiful, healthy plant with moist soil. As the plant was very well packaged, there were no damaged or browned limbs and it was 2.5’ in height.
I’m very pleased with my ordered and excited to have such a great nursery “in my neck of the woods” in which to order such high quality products.——————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG

Wilson Bros. Did a great job providing me with wonderful plants just as advertised and just when I had hoped to receive them. Will definitely purchase again!————————————–We are so happy you are pleased with your purchase! Beth | WBG

All 5 Slender Hinoki Cypress arrived well packaged, healthy and a beautiful dark green. I’m excited to watch them grow in the coming years. This was my first Wilson Bros. Gardens order; I’m very pleased and will order from them again.————————————————Hi Sharon, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Slender Hinoki Cypress. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! Thanks so much for the kind words!! 🙂
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens

I felt I was taking a chance ordering a plant online, especially with free shipping. The plant arrived in safe & perfect condition! Well packed, watered, & truly in a full 3 gallon dirt container! Very happy with my purchase & would definitely buy from Wilson Bros again!———————————————Hi Shawna, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Slender Hinoki Cypress. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the great review!
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens

Ordered 4 – 3 gallon Hinoki Cypress trees through the mail for the first time. They came on time and were in excellent health. I will order more from this company.——————————–Hi Ashley, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Slender Hinoki Cypress. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come! 🙂
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens

I ordered a Slender Hinoki Cypress in a 3 Gallon Pot. It was shipped quickly and packaged well. The evergreen is in perfect condition.
The only problem I have is that the plant isn’t as large as I was told it would be. A lady at the nursery indicated it would be approx 26 inches tall from the top of the pot. Mine is only 16 inches.————————-Hi Sandy, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Slender Hinoki Cypress. We are so sorry it was not as tall as expected, the lady on the phone probably measured the largest one and the plant picker probably picked the smallest one. When we are super busy, we have to hire temporary help, and things like this happen every now and then. If you ever have a problem, please contact Customer Service, we can usually solve the problem. Other than that we are glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come!
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens

Not only were the plants very nice and healthy looking, the packing was amazing! Plants were secured and in great condition.——————-WBG Reply: Hi Margaret, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Slender Hinoki Cypress. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come!
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens

We received our two plants very quickly. They were packed securely and arrived in excellent condition. We were very pleased.————————–WBG Reply: Hi Laura, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Slender Hinoki Cypress. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy them for years to come!
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens

Beautiful tree!! Fast shipping!————————–WBG Reply: Hi Amber, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Slender Hinoki Cypress we are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy this unique tree for years to come!
Beth Steele-Marketing Communications Director