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Mushroom Japanese Cedar Cryptomeria japonica 'Mushroom' Height: 24 inches Spread: 3 feet
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Hardiness Zone: 5b Description: A compact rounded shrub that is slow growing and dwarf in stature; foliage is a fine display of tiny needles arranged on branchlets and are a lovely blue-green color that bronzes in winter; an excellent accent shrub for the garden or rockery Ornamental Features Mushroom Japanese Cedar is a dwarf conifer which is primarily valued in the garden for its ornamental globe-shaped form. It has attractive bluish-green evergreen foliage. The tiny needles are highly ornamental and turn coppery-bronze in the fall, which persists throughout the winter. Landscape Attributes Mushroom Japanese Cedar is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a more or less rounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage. This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics. Mushroom Japanese Cedar is recommended for the following landscape applications; Planting & Growing Mushroom Japanese Cedar will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more. This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is particular about its soil conditions, with a strong preference for rich, acidic soils, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is quite intolerant of urban pollution, therefore inner city or urban streetside plantings are best avoided, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. Mushroom Japanese Cedar makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. It can be used either as 'filler' or as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, depending on the height and form of the other plants used in the container planting. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
