• Photo of Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea' (Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea's)

Plant Profile: Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea'

Names

Golden Threadleaf Chamaecyparis, Golden Threadleaf Sawara Cypress, Golden Threadmoss

  • Photo of Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea' (Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea's)

Phonetic Spelling:kam-ay-SIP-a-ris pi-SIF-er-a

Genus:Chamaecyparis

Species:pisifera

Family:Cupressaceae

'Filifera Aurea' is a semi-dwarf evergreen shrub characterized by its broad, conical shape and slow growth rate. Its delicate, thread-like foliage boasts a striking golden yellow hue on its gracefully weeping branches. This vibrant color remains intact throughout the winter months, while the peeling bark adds an extra layer of visual appeal.

For optimal growth, plant it in moist, well-drained soil, ideally in a location that receives full sun to partial shade. While the brightest color is achieved in sunny conditions, be cautious of potential sun-scald. This shrub serves excellently as a hedge or as an accent plant in various landscapes.

**Quick Identification Tips:**
This evergreen gymnosperm typically reaches heights of 15 to 20 feet and features a broad conical form with golden yellow foliage. The female cones are small and globular, measuring about 1/4 inch in diameter, and are brown in color, with 6 to 8 woody, peltate scales.

This fast-growing, golden cone-shaped plant develops a broad base and is often used as a specimen tree or for color contrast in landscaping. Dwarf cultivars are available, exhibiting variable growth rates; however, they are frequently planted too closely together, leading to faster-than-expected growth. During drought conditions, these plants may lose their vibrant color, resulting in browning branches that can disintegrate and fall off. They thrive best in loamy, slightly acidic, well-drained soils and prefer full sun exposure.

For further details on Chamaecyparis pisifera, please refer to additional resources.

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea' Feature Summary

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea' Image Gallery

Tags

#evergreen
#full sun tolerant
#shrub
#showy leaves
#pendulous
#yellow leaves
#accent plant
#hedges
#fast growing
#privacy
#fantz
#partial shade tolerant

Similar Plants

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea' is often confused with:

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea' Feature Summary

Fruit
No true fruit -female seed-bearing cones are green when immature turning to brown.
Green
Brown/Copper
Black
Flowers
No true flowers - the pollen bearing cones are small and often reddish, growing from the branch tips.
Leaves
Scale-like, golden yellow, thread-like needles wrapped around pendulous branchlets. The best color is on the south side of the bush. The north or shaded sides of the plant are often yellow-green or green. Intermediate, subappressed, narrow, acute and spinose, becoming scale-like, 2-3 mm long, appressed to twig in pairs and decussate, each pair overlapping adjacent pair above, acute, yellowish becoming green to brown with age, lower surface developing whitish-glaucous markings below on lateral scales resembling bow ties or butterfly wings.
Green
Gold/Yellow
Needles
Bark
Reddish-brown peeling bark on mature branches.
Dark Brown
Red/Burgundy
Stem
Elongate, exhibiting aspical growth, threadlike with little lateral branching in juvenile growth of twigs.
Attributes
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Good Drainage
Moist
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Landscape
Rock Garden
Border
Hedge
Accent
Screen/Privacy
Specimen

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea' Fruit

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Fruit Description

No true fruit -female seed-bearing cones are green when immature turning to brown.

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Fruit Color

grass
Black
grass
Brown/Copper
grass
Green

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea' Flowers

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Flower Description

No true flowers - the pollen bearing cones are small and often reddish, growing from the branch tips.

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea' Leaves

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Leaf Description

Scale-like, golden yellow, thread-like needles wrapped around pendulous branchlets. The best color is on the south side of the bush. The north or shaded sides of the plant are often yellow-green or green. Intermediate, subappressed, narrow, acute and spinose, becoming scale-like, 2-3 mm long, appressed to twig in pairs and decussate, each pair overlapping adjacent pair above, acute, yellowish becoming green to brown with age, lower surface developing whitish-glaucous markings below on lateral scales resembling bow ties or butterfly wings.

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Leaf Color

spa
Gold/Yellow
spa
Green

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Hairs Present

No
Yes

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea' Bark

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Bark Description

Reddish-brown peeling bark on mature branches.

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Bark Color

grass
Dark Brown
grass
Red/Burgundy

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Surface/Attachment

Bumpy
Exfoliating
Fissured
Furrowed
Lenticels
Papery
Patchy
Peeling
Ridges
Scaly
Shaggy
Shiny
Shredding
Smooth
Spongy

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea' Stem

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Stem Description

Elongate, exhibiting aspical growth, threadlike with little lateral branching in juvenile growth of twigs.

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea' Attributes

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea' Whole Plant Traits

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea' Cultural Conditions

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea' Landscape

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea': Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland