Talk me out of a Sekka/Chirimen Hinoki Cypress

[JonW]

I'd like to get one more tree - shohin/mame with a decent size trunk - this Spring. I keep almost solely broadleaf trees, mostly cold-hardy with a few tropicals. I always lived in the Northeast, so deciduous trees are my "mental image" of a tree, and I have less interest in coniferous trees. I put my only one - a regifted Juniper Procumbens Nana - in the ground rather than keeping it in a bonsai pot!

Having said that, I've been thinking about buying a Sekka Hinoki Cypress. I have hesitancies though:

• Will I tire of it and wish I had stuck with a deciduous tree?
• Will the internal growth die off, and look crappy over time? I know this is a big factor on Hinoki Cypress. I've heard Sekka back buds more easily, and you can prune mid-summer BEFORE internal growth starts to yellow to keep inner growth alive.
• I know this question comes up and there is never agreement.... winter lighting? I keep most of my cold hardy trees under my storm doors with a fan. It stays 35-50 degrees throughout winter, but there is no light. Some people say this is fine for evergreens, while others disagree. I see that most care guides say Hinoki Cypress needs lots of light YEAR ROUND, but Sekka would need pretty good winter protection in my region. I wouldn't have a great location to overwinter that has both good protection and good light.

 

[Lutonian]

Get one you know you want too, there fun trees I keep one outside all winter in uk I only protect when temps get below - 5

 

[coachspinks]

I'd like to get one more tree - shohin/mame with a decent size trunk - this Spring. I keep almost solely broadleaf trees, mostly cold-hardy with a few tropicals. I always lived in the Northeast, so deciduous trees are my "mental image" of a tree, and I have less interest in coniferous trees. I put my only one - a regifted Juniper Procumbens Nana - in the ground rather than keeping it in a bonsai pot!

Having said that, I've been thinking about buying a Sekka Hinoki Cypress. I have hesitancies though:

• Will I tire of it and wish I had stuck with a deciduous tree?
• Will the internal growth die off, and look crappy over time? I know this is a big factor on Hinoki Cypress. I've heard Sekka back buds more easily, and you can prune mid-summer BEFORE internal growth starts to yellow to keep inner growth alive.
• I know this question comes up and there is never agreement.... winter lighting? I keep most of my cold hardy trees under my storm doors with a fan. It stays 35-50 degrees throughout winter, but there is no light. Some people say this is fine for evergreens, while others disagree. I see that most care guides say Hinoki Cypress needs lots of light YEAR ROUND, but Sekka would need pretty good winter protection in my region. I wouldn't have a great location to overwinter that has both good protection and good light.

Get one. They are great. The dieback issue.....just make sure light gets into the interior. You can do this with pruning or wiring. I have not see this to be as big a problem as others, if you let light get in. Mine is a multi-trunk and I love the foliage. A goal tree is a formal upright Hinoki.

 

[Lutonian]

Get one you know you want too, there fun trees I keep one outside all winter in uk I only protect when temps get below - 5

-5c I meant

 

[JonW]

Thanks guys,

Our winters range between 0 and 40f. How do you overwinter when it is too cold outside? Would it survive in a cold location without light?

 

[Lutonian]

It rarely gets under - 5c here if it does it only lasts a day or two. When this happens I put it in my unheated garage for that day or two and then it goes back outside. There is no light in the garage but since its only for a day or two it does not matter..

 

[quietobserver]

Thanks guys,

Our winters range between 0 and 40f. How do you overwinter when it is too cold outside? Would it survive in a cold location without light?

I have a couple of Sekka’s that are doing well. I keep them in an unheated garage where they get little light for several months in winter. They do fine. I leave them out in fall until we start the freeze/thaw cycle and then they come in. I shuffle them in/out depending on weather, but they do fine. When dormant a lack of light doesn’t bother them.