Japanese cedar is a tall, cone-shaped evergreen with bluish green foliage and a massive trunk with thick reddish brown bark that shreds and peels in long strips. This is a fast-growing tree that, in its native habitat, can get more than 180′ tall with a trunk diameter exceeding 12′; ornamental specimens are rarely more than 60′ tall, though, and many of the named selections stay much smaller. The branches are arranged in horizontal tiers, ascending at first, then drooping near their ends. The flattened, wedge-shaped leaves are about a half-inch long and point forward, while their bases clasp the twigs. The leaves are overlapping and crowded in 5 ranks that spiral around and completely cloak the twigs.
Culture
Japanese cedar can grow to 25′ tall in just 10 years.
Light: Full sun to partial shade.
Moisture: Japanese cedar needs well-drained soil but plenty of water for best growth. Never allow the soil to dry out and mist if the humidity stays very low.
Hardiness: USDA Zones 6 – 9. In zones 6 and 7, expect the foliage to turn brown or purplish in winter.
Propagation: Japanese cedar can be grown from seed. Named cultivars are propagated vegetatively by rooting mature tip cuttings in late summer or autumn, or by layering. To start a new plant by layering, cram a section of branch into a pot or bury it in the ground. Water occasionally and in a couple of months the potted section will have roots, and you can sever the branch from the mother plant. Allow it establish for another month or two before moving. Young, well-rooted specimens transplant easily.