Plant Library

Description:

A popular loosely pyramid-shaped evergreen with very deep green foliage, slow-growing and graceful; an excellent choice for an accent with a distinctively Asian feel in the home landscape

Ornamental Features

Black Dragon Japanese Cedar is a dwarf conifer which is primarily valued in the landscape or garden for its distinctively pyramidal habit of growth. It has dark green evergreen foliage which emerges light green in spring. The scale-like sprays of foliage remain dark green throughout the winter. The peeling antique red bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape.

Landscape Attributes

Black Dragon Japanese Cedar is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a distinctive and refined pyramidal form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub. When pruning is necessary, it is recommended to only trim back the new growth of the current season, other than to remove any dieback. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Black Dragon Japanese Cedar is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Vertical Accent

Planting & Growing

Black Dragon Japanese Cedar will grow to be about 7 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 4 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 60 years or more.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is particular about its soil conditions, with a strong preference for rich, acidic soils, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is quite intolerant of urban pollution, therefore inner city or urban streetside plantings are best avoided, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.