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Permanently messy, completely on purpose 🧶
Family: Cupressaceae • Pot diameter: 15cm • Height: 30cm
Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Nana' stands out for its fine, thread-like foliage, which hangs softly and forms a dense, rounded silhouette with natural movement. Its slender green shoots look like small threads and create a texture completely different from strict, geometric conifers. Evergreen, compact and full of character, it offers steady green structure all year round and a distinctive architectural presence without looking heavy.
In warm regions of Greece, place it outdoors in a position with morning sun or bright partial shade, protected from hot afternoon sun and warm, dry air currents. In a cooler or mountain climate, it can receive more hours of sun. At around 30cm tall, it works beautifully as a low evergreen element in a pot, rock garden or front border zone, with enough air around the foliage.
Correct botanical name: The full name is Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Nana'. Chamaecyparis pisifera is the accepted name of the species. Older botanical synonyms you may encounter are Cupressus pisifera and Retinispora pisifera.
Origin of the variety: 'Filifera Nana' is an old cultivated dwarf selection, known in horticulture before 1897. Botanical collections note that more than one clone may circulate under this name, so the final growth rate and size can differ between plants.
Place/habitat & distribution: The species Chamaecyparis pisifera is native to Japan. The wild form is a large forest conifer, while 'Filifera Nana' is a much smaller horticultural selection.
What the name means: The Latin word pisifera means “pea-bearing” and refers to the small, round cones. 'Filifera' describes the thread-like branchlets, and 'Nana' the dwarf form.
| 🔎 Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| 🌿 Scientific name | Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Nana' • Older species synonyms: Cupressus pisifera, Retinispora pisifera |
| 🪴 Pot/Size | Pot diameter: 15cm • Height: 30cm |
| 🌤️ Light | Morning sun or bright partial shade in the warm Greek climate. More sun in cool regions, with protection from hot afternoon sun. |
| 💧 Watering | Moderate: deep watering when the first few centimetres of soil dry. Do not let the pot dry out for too long, and do not allow water to stand. |
| 🌱 Soil | Fertile, loose soil with very good drainage, slightly acidic to neutral. Added organic matter helps maintain gentle moisture without turning the mix muddy. |
| ❄️ Cold/Heat | Extremely cold hardy. In Greece, more attention is needed for prolonged summer heat, dry wind and overheating of the pot. |
| 🧵 Foliage | Evergreen, fine and thread-like, green in colour, with long shoots that lean softly and create a lacy texture. |
| 📏 Growth | Dwarf, dense and rounded shrub with slow growth. Over many years it can reach approximately 60–150cm, depending on the clone and conditions. |
| ✂️ Pruning | Usually does not need shaping. Remove only dry or untidy shoots and avoid deep cutting into old, bare wood. |
| 🐾 Safety | There is no clear, reliable pet-safe classification for the variety. It is not intended for consumption, and chewing by children or pets should be avoided. |
No. It is an evergreen outdoor conifer and needs natural light, good air circulation and the seasonal changes of the outdoor environment. It is not suitable for permanent indoor placement.
In cool or mountain regions, it can grow with more sun. In warm regions, however, and especially when grown in a pot, it prefers morning sun or bright partial shade and protection from the intense afternoon sun of summer.
Yes. Its slow, dwarf growth makes it suitable for long-term pot cultivation. Repot it gradually into a larger pot with drainage holes and check moisture more often in summer, because the roots heat up and dry faster than they would in the ground.
It grows slowly and stays much smaller than the wild species. Older records give around 60 × 90cm in 25 years, but some plants sold under the same name may eventually reach around 120–150cm. Final growth depends on the clone and growing conditions.
© Original plant description by Greenleaf Garden Center. All rights reserved. | This text is original material. Copying is prohibited (Law 2121/1993).
🔎 Note: Due to the natural diversity of plants, the plant you receive may differ slightly from the one shown in the photo. Shape, size or colour may vary depending on the season, growing conditions and the natural character of each plant.
