Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana Lutea' is a dwarf selection of Hinoki cypress with bright yellow foliage. The yellow color is a blend of golden yellow foliage and white foliage, the white often being a band interior to the golden yellow. If the plant is planted in full shade, the golden yellow foliage become lime-green. The sprays of foliage are dense and quite congested. It grows at about the same rate as its green counterpart, C. obtusa 'Nana Gracilis', at about 4 to 6 inches (10 - 15 cm) per year, resulting in a dense sculpted shrub 50 inches tall by 30 inches wide (125 x 75 cm) after 10 years in the landscape.
This cultivar originated as a golden sport on a specimen of C. obtusa 'Nana Gracilis' found in 1966 by Jan Spek, Boskoop, The Netherlands. Its irregular dense form and golden color makes it a good focal point in the darker parts of the garden.
