Cryptomeria japonica 'ELEGANS VIRIDIS' Japanese cedar
Cryptomeria
Cryptomeria is a genus of conifers in the cypress family with only a single living representative today, yet its story reaches far beyond the forests of modern Japan. Fossils show that its ancient relatives were already growing in the Early Cretaceous and that during the Tertiary they covered large areas of Eurasia and North America, forming humid, warm forests with high air moisture. The genus was described by the Scottish botanist David Don (1799–1841), who separated it from the then broad group of taxodia and gave it the form in which we know it today. Its only species, Cryptomeria japonica, comes from Japan, where it forms mountain forests on the islands of Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu. In the wild the species reaches impressive dimensions, up to around sixty metres in height, and its reddish brown bark peels in long strips, earning it comparisons with the sequoias, although it has finer needles and smaller cones.
The Japanese cedar entered European science thanks to the Swedish naturalist Carl Peter Thunberg (1743–1828), who described it at the end of the eighteenth century during his stay in what was then a closed Japan. While Don established the boundaries of the genus, Thunberg captured the species itself as he saw it in the Japanese landscape, forests wrapped in mist through which gentle shades of green flicker as light breaks and scatters across the branches, giving the stands an almost sacred appearance. It is no wonder that cryptomeria, known as sugi 杉 in Japan, gained such a strong place in local culture. The Japanese valued it not only for its wood, which is light, durable and pleasantly scented, but also for its calm, upright silhouette. They planted it around shrines as protection from wind and rain, and the famous avenues, for example at Nikko, still show how deep their relationship with the tree was. In everyday life it served as material for houses, baths and boats, but also as a monumental tree that reminds a person that he stands before something older and more enduring than himself.
Elegans Viridis is one of those Japanese cedar cultivars that one remembers at first sight. Even as a young plant it looks as if it were wrapped in soft, delicate feathers that ripple lightly with every breath of wind. The needles are soft and threadlike yet structured, held on the branches in dense tufts so that the whole plant appears airy and almost arched, as if it wished to dissolve into the surrounding space. The colour of the needles is steady and bright green, and unlike the related cultivar ‘Elegans’ it keeps this colour even in winter, when most cryptomerias turn bronze. This loyalty to green gave it the Latin name Viridis. It grows slowly but upright, with slightly arching tips of young shoots so that the habit does not appear stiff or layered but rather relaxed and natural. It differs from the botanical species mainly in the fineness of its needles, its smaller size and its overall softer, rounded expression, which has nothing in common with the monumental silhouette of mature trees in the Japanese mountains. The cultivar arose in the nineteenth century in Europe as a selection from the original ‘Elegans’.
‘Elegans Viridis’ is suited to places where you do not long for hard lines or strict architecture. Thanks to its slow, upright growth and relaxed habit it works well even in small gardens, where it creates a vertical and dense, Zen accent without overwhelming the space. It shows best as a specimen in a spot where morning or evening light falls on it, when its threadlike needles glow and sway gently so that the plant seems almost alive. It also works well with Japanese shrubs such as azaleas and rhododendrons, with large ferns or well-behaved grasses that support its character. It looks splendid near stones, water features or elements of karesansui 枯山水 (deliberately dry water channels), where its constant green colour creates a sense of calm and permanence. In winter, when most cryptomerias turn bronze, ‘Elegans Viridis’ remains fresh green, brightening an otherwise grey season. It is a shrub or small tree that stands out without being overly showy, natural, unforced and with quiet dignity. Perhaps because of its slow growth it often inspires a feeling of gratitude and respect in those who planted it.
The Japanese cryptomeria belongs among woody plants that require a sheltered site with plenty of moisture in both soil and air. It thrives best in slightly acidic, humus rich soil that does not dry out yet does not remain waterlogged for long periods. Young plants appreciate shelter from wind and partial shade, as strong sun can scorch their delicate needles in the first years. Once established they tolerate full sun and ordinary winter conditions, but long periods of drought weaken them, especially in winter. To maintain a dense habit, occasional deep watering and a mulch of needles or bark that stabilises moisture are beneficial. Pruning is usually unnecessary, as cryptomeria shapes itself and does not respond well to cuts into older wood. In colder regions it is advisable to protect young plants from winter winds, which can cause moisture loss and subsequent browning of the needles. Hardiness is proven to minus 25 °C and it is assumed that it can withstand around minus 27 °C in winter shade (USDA zone 5b).
Last update 05-02-2010; 27-02-2026
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- STANDARD QUALITY - Plants of this group are 1st class quality with number of branches and overall density adequate to their size and age, considering they were container grown.
- DE LUXE QUALITY - This label guarantees a luxurious quality of manually selected plants that, compared to their height and age, are exceptionally dense and beautiful.
- EXTRA - These plants are usually mature and bigger specimens with exceptional overall appearance.
- STANDARD (as described in the plant form) means a tree with a trunk of 190-210 cm and a crown at the top, unless specified differently. The commercial size for trees is their girth measured in the height of 1m from ground.
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- GRASSES and PERENNIALS - Sizes given usually read the diameter of the pot or the clump, as specified.
