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Gold Mop Cypress Shrubs for Sale Online
Gold mop cypress, scientifically known as Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Golden Mop,' is a well-known evergreen shrub prized for its vibrant golden foliage and unique texture. This cultivar of the Sawara cypress is renowned for its compact, mounding habit, making it an excellent choice for adding year-round interest to gardens, landscapes, and containers. Its needle-like foliage emerges as bright yellow-gold in spring, intensifying in color during summer and retaining its golden-yellow color through fall before transitioning to a slightly more subdued shade in winter. The feathery foliage creates a soft, dense appearance, providing a striking contrast when planted alongside other evergreens or deciduous plants.
A notable feature of the gold mop cypress is its landscaping design versatility. Whether used as a focal point in a mixed border, a colorful accent in a rock garden, or as a low hedge or foundation planting, this compact shrub adds a touch of elegance and visual interest to any outdoor space. Its slow to moderate growth rate and tolerance to pruning make it manageable for gardeners of all skill levels. Additionally, its tolerance to various soil types and its preference for full sun to partial shade further enhance its adaptability, allowing it to thrive in a wide range of climates and environments.
Beyond its aesthetic appeal and ease of cultivation, the gold mop cypress also offers practical benefits to the garden ecosystem. Its dense foliage provides bird shelter and nesting sites, while its evergreen nature ensures year-round coverage and protection for small wildlife. Perhaps its greatest attribute is its resistance to deer browsing, which makes it an ideal choice for gardens in deer-prone areas. With its stunning golden foliage, compact form, and low-maintenance nature, the gold mop cypress is a beloved choice for gardeners seeking to add color, texture, and structure to their outdoor spaces.
Hardiness Zone: | 5-8 |
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Mature Height: | 3 to 5 feet |
Mature Width: | 3 to 5 feet |
Classification: | Evergreen shrub |
Sunlight: | Full Sun to Partial Sun |
Habit: | Mounding |
Flower Color: | Non-flowering |
Foliage: | Golden Yellow |
Soil Condition: | Any well-drained soil |
Water Requirements: | Water well until established |
Uses: | A truly deer-proof shrub. |
How to Care for Gold Mop Cypress
Be sure to read our planting instructions to ensure a healthy and happy plant for years to come!
How much water does my Gold Mop need?
After backfilling the planting hole and lightly compacting the 50/50 mix of existing soil and compost, give the Gold Mop Cypress a good, deep watering. This is not to be rushed. Most of the water you put on the plant at first will run away from the plant until the soil is soaked. A general rule of thumb is to count to 5 for every one gallon of pot size. For example, a one gallon pot would be watered until you count to 5; a three gallon pot would be 15; and so on. For the first 2 weeks after planting, check the soil moisture daily. Water deeply if the top 6 inches of soil is dry to the touch. Make it a practice to check your Gold Mop weekly after that initial planting period, and again, water if the soil feels dry at 6 inches deep. One last word of caution. It is possible to overwater your Gold Mop cypress. Water should soak in quickly; your plants should never sit in a puddle of water for an extended period of time. This can lead to root damage.
How much do I mulch my Gold Mop cypress?
We highly recommend that you mulch your Gold Mop Cypress with either a ground hardwood mulch or a ground cypress mulch depending on your local availability. Any type of mulch will do, but cypress or hardwood mulch will be of a higher quality and provide better nutrition overall as they breakdown. Mulching helps to keep weeds away that will compete with your new investment for water and nutrients. A 2 to 3-inch layer of mulch is sufficient, but remember to take care not to cover any part of the stem of the plant with mulch. Avoid applying mulch right up next to the base of the Gold Mop cypress. Leave a one-inch space around the base of the plant to help prevent disease and insect problems.
How do I fertilize my Gold Mop Cypress Bush?
Gold Mop Cypress are one of the easiest to grow and long-living ornamental shrubs available today. Although many well established Gold Mops perform beautifully in the garden without being fertilized, they can benefit from an annual, early spring fertilization treatment. When first planting, apply a product such as Espoma Bio-Tone Starter Plus to support the Gold Mop's root systems and avoid transplant shock. In subsequent years, a general product such as Espoma Plant-tone or Holly-tone would be appropriate. Read the label instructions carefully and apply at the recommended rate to give your Gold Mop a boost in the early spring. Gold Mop Cypress prefer medium to slightly acidic soils with pH readings from 6 to 8. If you do not know your soil pH, you can send a soil sample to your local extension agency for testing. It is a good practice to test soil pH whenever you are planting a new garden bed or you move to a new location. If you do not know your soil pH, you can usually send a soil sample to your local extension agency or nearby university for low-cost testing. When you have selected your fertilizer and are ready to apply it, pull back any mulch so you can apply the fertilizer directly to the soil. Apply the fertilizer according to the label directions, and water the plant thoroughly after the application. You can then rake the mulch back around the base of your Golden Mop Cypress. Proper fertilization of your Gold Mop will increase disease resistance, as well as provide you with many more enjoyable years of vibrant foliage.