Siberian Spreading Cypress

Microbioata decussata

Other Names: Russian Arborvitae, Russian Dwarf Cypress

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 3a-7b Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Coniferous Evergreen Groundcover

Height at Maturity: 12-18″

Width at Maturity: up to 12′
Spacing: 4-6′ apart for mass plantings; 14′ apart for space between plants

Growth Habit / Form: Spreading Mound

Growth Rate: Moderate

Flower Color: None

Flower Size: NA

Flowering Period: NA

Flower Type: NA

Fragrant Flowers: No

Foliage Color: Dark Green

Fragrant Foliage: Yes

Berries/Cones: Yes, small

Berry Color: Golden yellow to Copper

Sun Needs: Full Sun or Mostly Sun, Morning Sun with Light Afternoon Shade, Morning Shade with Evening Sun

Water Needs: Average

Soil Type: Clay (Amend heavy clay soil to ensure good drainage), Loam, Sandy (Amend quick-draining soil to retain moisture, Silty

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Moist But Well Drained, does not like constantly wet soil or standing water

Soil pH: 6.0 – 8.0 (Acid to Alkaline)

Maintenance / Care: Very little to none

Attracts: Birds, Visual Attention

Resistances: Cold Temperatures (-40F / Zone 3a), Deer – more info, Disease, Erosion, Insect

Description

A very cool plant that looks like a cross between a juniper and a fern, the Siberian Spreading Cypress, also known as Russian Arborvitae, is a low and spreading coniferous evergreen that might reach 18 inches in height but with a spread up to 10 or 12 feet! This makes it a fine selection for beautifying and controlling erosion on embankments, slopes and hillsides. Also excellent as an accent or groundcover in landscape borders, home foundation plantings, and around garden ponds and boulders. Looks really nice under or around around Japanese maples and other small trees. The bright green to blue-green foliage is feathery, soft, and arranged in flat, fern-like sprays that gracefully arch at the tips. With the arrival of cooler temperatures in fall, the foliage transitions to bronze-purple or copper bronze to red. This one does best in cooler climates with lower humidity. In hot and humid climates it will prefer some filtered sun or shade in the heat of the afternoon. USDA Zone 3a-7b.

Microbiota decussata is endemic to the Sikhote-Alin mountains of far-eastern Russia where it grows above the timberline on bald peaks.

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing in a spreading mound 12 to 18 inches tall and 10 to 12 feet wide, the Siberian Spreading Cypress is ideal for use as a groundcover or border in landscape borders and for erosion control on slopes, embankments and hillsides. It will arch over walls and is a great choice to plant under or around small trees such as Japanese maples. Looks really nice around the garden pond and boulders and is a nice accent in home foundation plantings. A fine addition to conifer gardens, Asian gardens and rock gardens.

Suggested Spacing: 4 to 6 feet apart for mass plantings; 14 feet or more apart for space between plants

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Growing Preferences

The Siberian Spreading Cypress is easy to grow in moist but well-drained soil of average to low fertility and full sun to part shade (5 hours or more of sunlight per day). As with so many other ornamental plants, constantly soggy or wet soil can cause root rot and other harmful plant diseases. It prefers cooler and lower humidity climates in Zones 3a-7b. No pruning is required however responds well to it for size control.

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