Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Snowkist' is a low growing, spreading dwarf selection of Hinoki cypress with attractive creamy variegation on dark-green foliage. Proper siting is critical for this plant. For best color, it requires ample irrigation and moderate exposure to sun. Too much shade results to little to no variegation while too much sun causes the creamy parts to scorch. After 10 years of growth, a mature specimen will measure 1.5 to 2 feet (50 - 60 cm) tall and somewhat wider, an annual growth rate of 2 inches (5 cm).
This cultivar originated as a branch mutation on a specimen of Ch. obtusa 'Tonia' found in the early 1970s by William Goddard and introduced to the nursery trade by Floravista Nursery, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
