Chamaecyparis obtusa 'JR' / JR Hinoki cypress

[ Description and history courtesy of Small Conifers for Small Gardens, Robert L. Fincham ©2011 ] Chamaecyparis obtusa 'JR' is a miniature cushion; a dark-green selection, it grows less than one inch (2.5 cm) annually. A 10-year-old specimen will be 8-10 inches (20 - 25 cm) tall and wide.

Joe Reis of Long Island, New York was one of the early experimenters with seedlings of Chamaecyparis obtusa. He is responsible for many of the dwarf cultivars of this species available today. It was from his backyard nursery that he introduced 'JR' in the late 1970s. He named it after himself using his initials. Some people have been known to call this plant "Junior,"but that is not the intent of the naming. In fact, the RHS Horticultural Database of Plants lists the cultivar name as 'Junior.' It must be noted that this is a mistake on their part.