With its inward-pointed needles twisted around flexible stems,
Cryptomeria japonica
'Spiralis' reminds some folks of a curly-haired elder, giving rise to one common name, granny's ringlets. But this evergreen could equally well remind you of a lanky teenager who will outgrow his adolescent gawkiness.
That's because in its youth it tends to grow sideways, while at maturity it takes on a tidy cone shape. It takes about four years to develop a strong central leader, which becomes the trunk, and eventually the tree becomes a narrow, stately presence 20 feet tall and 8 feet wide.
The wayward ways of its early years, though, sometimes cause it to be mislabeled as a prostrate shrub.
The irresistibly touchable texture is what particularly distinguishes 'Spiralis': the twisted ropes of ringlets, the dense branching. Then there's the color: lime-green in afternoon shade, golden in full sun, with a two-tone effect created by the twisted leaves.
For smaller yards, there's a smaller relative with ringlets: 'Spiraliter Falcata,' a slow grower that maxes out at 5 by 5 feet. Nurseryman
calls it the
of
Cryptomeria
(a reference to the filbert) because of its curling, contorted stems and branches. The Oregonian's garden writer Kym Pokorny describes it as "like a big head of twisty, curly green worms highlighted in creamy yellow," adding that "it's something you
View full sizeCryptomeria japonica 'Spiraliter Falcata'won't be able to ignore in the garden."
How to grow:
Give it sun or partial shade. It prefers rich, well-drained, acid soil, ample moisture and shelter from high winds, according to
which also notes that
Cryptomeria
is easy to grow, and is an important forestry tree in its native habitat in China and Japan. The tree is hardy to minus 10 degrees.
–- Homes & Gardens staff
If you want to automatically receive a daily homes and gardens tip, sign up here.