GOLD MOP CYPRESS
Chamaecyparis pisifera filifera ‘Golden Mop’ is better known by its’ common name – Gold Mop Cypress. Gold Mop Cypress is a needled, thread-leaf evergreen with bright yellow needles. Gold Mop Cypress is a beautiful plant that will add interest to any landscape because of its bright yellow color, and it is colorful year round.
Here are some characteristic facts on Gold Mop Cypress:
- It wants to be planted in full sun to partial shade.
- Very hardy for our region.
- Will grow to be 4’ to 6’ tall and just as wide ( be sure to plant in an area with these dimensions in mind).
- Is a low maintenance plant – needs very little, if any, pruning – especially when given ample space and letting it grow naturally.
- Is drought tolerant.
- Is not a favorite food for deer.
- Prefers moist, fertile, well-drained soil.
- It retains good yellow color throughout the year.
- No serious insect or disease problems. But, do inspect for a pest like a bagworm.
For this fall planting season we have an excellent selection of Gold Mop Cypress. When you visit a garden center, such as ours, these Gold Mop Cypress are small and very appealing looking. At his point I use the analogy of a cute, little puppy when looking at the nursery stock. Like puppies, they will grow and mature. Please, just keep the eventual growing dimensions in mind when making any plant selection. It is all about RIGHT PLANT / RIGHT LOCATION.
Why did I select Gold Mop Cypress to highlight in October? Gold Mop looks great in any landscape. Gold Mop is a great evergreen that can be used to accent an area or be used for a small screening plant. Plant Gold Mop where you want color and texture, especially when it’s near other shrubs that have dark green foliage.
HAPPY OCTOBER AND HAPPY GARDENING!!!
Barbara,
I am glad to hear from you and thank you for reading our weekly blogs.
As for pruning the Gold Mop Cypress, my advise to customers is to only prune when absolutely necessary. Too much pruning will result in an unnatural look. I like it when shrubs can grow and look natural. This is why I stress to everyone to know the growing dimensions of any shrub or tree and plant it in a space with these dimensions in mind. Now, if you need to prune then you may want to wait until next we get much colder and the cypress becomes dormant. So, December would be the earliest time to prune. One tip: if you want to do a little judicious pruning in December then you can use these clippings in some holiday decorating.