Yoshino grows the fastest, I believe, and is the one selected for forestry in Japan. Not sure about growth rate but I would guess that in five years in zone 7 you could expect it to put on at least 10 feet, assuming it's happy and getting what it needs.

Sekkan is very good in partial shade . The growth is moderate. All Cryptomerias can be cut, that´s no problem.If you are careful, they do not loose their habit.

Wolfgang

I planted a Sekkan this Spring, in a full sun location.
In the past five months, the tree has put on 25 inches of new growth.

Josh

Wolfgang, what kind of coloration can I expect from Sekkan in the shade? I am relieved to know that it will work there.

ikea_gw

I'm looking for some of the same trees. My local nursery has some pretty tall ones and they are very expensive. The big box stores often don't have the specific ones I want.

I'm hoping to find a good online source that won't break the bank and don't mind small ones (around 1').

If you or others reading this know of a decent source, let me know.

Thanks

If you can grow the variety 'Elegans', it would give you better screening.
The other varieties listed are trees and will eventually not do a good job of screening.

Perhaps you or your neighbor can paint the shed a less obtrusive color in addition to planting a screen.

{{gwi:796869}}

Two varieties of Cryptomeria j., 'Elegans'.

hogmanay, I have gotten very good cryptomeria plants from http://www.evergreenplantnursery.com/ . The most recent Cryptomeria Radicans I received were almost 3 ft tall with beautiful branching habit starting to show. Each cost me below $10 before shipping and the more you buy the cheaper shipping is. Only problem is sometimes they sell out of the popular varieties especially in the larger size.

cryptomeria, your description of Sekkan in full sun explains the coloring I see on the Sekkan I bought recently. Now that they have been here for 2 weeks they are getting greener and less yellowish, and it actually looks much happier this way. Thanks again for the advice.

botann, beautiful screen you have there. The winter color is fantastic. Regarding the neighbor, there is no chance that he will paint the shed. In addition to it, he also put a "compost box" near the shed, which is an enclosed plywood box the size of a giant sofa. He didn't think it needed air circulation.

I bought my Sekkan last August as a 1 gallon plant.
The foliage was completely white and scorched on several branches.
But I took a chance, planted the tree this Spring, and provided a
narrow strip of shade-cloth for the hottest part of the day. Very
little scorching. Next year, I expect it to do even better.

Josh

Even the juvenile foliage forms (such as 'Elegans') will thin out markedly where getting much shade, as is the case with various other conifers.

In the above photo only the purplish ones are 'Elegans'. The yellowish middle section would presumably* be 'Elegans Aurea', sold here as 'Elegans Viridis'.

*Airtight correct application of these names to clones now in commerce not completely certain

Thanks for the correction bboy.
The picture was taken at Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island, Canada, in January about three years ago.

The biggest 'Sekkan' I have seen up close, at Heronswood has gone partly green. This cultivar may be yet another that often loses most of the yellow with age.

Hello bboy,

partly green in full shade, this is correct. But on the sunny side ( this means only the late afternoon sun ) nice yellow the whole year. My oldest Sekkan is 29 years old and 6 m high and a beautiful yellow plant in partial shade.

Wolfgang

Thanks for the link to your mail order source.

I also found a few myself at Girard http://www.girardnurseries.com/Cryptomeria-s/33.htm

I'll compare what they have and the prices.

Now I have to decide to plant them in the fall or wait until spring. I suppose they'll do fine in a N.Alabama "winter". A few of my spring planted seedlings got torched this year (a japanese red maple, thuja, and a norway spruce) while others did fine.)

Botann's pic of the 2 Juvenile Cryptomeria forms aren't the cultivars 'Elegans' and 'Elegan's Viridis', these are 'Elegans' and 'Elegans Aurea' for sure.
It's not acceptable for me that 'Elegans Aurea' will be for sale in the U.S. as 'Elegans Viridis, they're totaly differend.

I can tell this because the pic is taken in Winter (red brown winter colour of 'Elegans')
The Winter colour of 'Elegans Aurea' is a yellow green while the Summer colour of this cultivar is a grass green colour just like the 'Elegans' will have all year round...

To both the Europeans: it's not that simple in either case.

I goofed up my post, what I believe to be the case is that the yellowish ones on the market in later times are probably better called 'Elegans Viridis', despite being offered as 'Elegans Aurea'.

What a nonsens you're telling here, discriptions were made in the past by the way how they look like in colour in winter time.
This is how it is:
'Elegans': Green colour in summer and a bronze red in winter.
'Elegans Aurea': Green colour in summer and a yellow green colour in winter.
'Elegans Viridis': Green all year.

I tell you this from my own experience because I had cultivate all 3 for several years.