There’s not a lot going on in the garden today, so I figured I’d snap a picture of my cryptomeria, aka Japaenese Cedar. It’s a fantastic tree: quick-growing, sturdy, and tolerant of a wide range of conditions. This one sits in a soggy part of the yard. I was a little hesitant to put it here because most of the info I’ve read has said that cryptomeria prefers a well-drained soil, which is not something I have much of in our yard. I planted it a little high, graded up to it with soil from my compost heap, and it’s taken off like a shot. I estimate it’s put on a good 18-24″ of growth in its first year. I’m quite curious about what it’ll do when it actually gets established.
I make no secret of the fact that I despise Leyland Cypress as a privacy screen in subdivision settings. Because of its narrow growth habit, you can work a Cryptomeria into a mixed planting screen to great effect. Interplant it with an evergreen with a broad, dark leaf and you’ll have a screen with some textural and color interest. With just a little thought, you can spend the same amount of money as you would on Leylands and have a planting that will just get richer as it matures.