Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Topsy' is a low-growing spreading mound of lacy, dark green foliage that turns a remarkable dark-purple in winter, an unusual and distinctive characteristic for this species. After10 years of growth, a mature specimen will measure 12 inches (30 cm) tall and 3 feet (1 m) wide, an annual growth rate of 1 to 3 inches (2.5 - 7.5 cm). Over time, this has proven to be a very difficult selection to propagate, meaning that it will always be difficult to find the the nursery trade, but very worth the effort.
This cultivar originated as a seedling selected in the early 1980s by Jim Cross of Environmentals Wholesale Nursery in Cutchogue, Long Island, New York.
