Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Leprechaun' is a squatty dwarf selection of Hinoki cypress with irregular-growing sprays of rich green foliage. After 10 years of growth, a mature specimen will measure 4.5 to 6 inches (12 - 15 cm) tall and wide, an annual growth rate of only around 0.5 inch (1 cm). This plant is a perfect choice for the small garden, rockery or trough planting.
This cultivar originated as one of many miniature seedlings selected in the mid 1960s by Joel W. Spingarn, Baldwin, Long Island New York. The seedlings grew from seed collected by fellow Long Islander and Spingarn protege, Henry Weissenberger.