I have a chamaecyparis pisifera boulevard growing right next to the wall of my house. It is currently about one meter high and I know that it grows very slowly. However, I am worried when I read that it can reach a much taller eventual size. Can anyone tell me: - How long it can take to reach such size? - Whether it will damage foundations of the house/patio? - I was planning to cut the top off once it reaches about two meters high and keep it at that height. Will this work? - Will I be better off moving it somewhere where there is more space? Thank you.
Slow-growing but it sounds like the best approach for you is to transplant to a better location this winter. No point in leaving where it is already causing concern. You could prune the whole thing each year to make it stay in the existing space, if you knew how to do this in a pleasing fashion. I definitely would not top it at a certain point and then leave the rest to grow mostly in a normal manner.
Since I like it a lot where it is currently, are you able to give me some tips on how to prune it to keep it under control? Thanks
Can be sheared, though it won't look so attractively 'fluffy' after shearing. Make sure you don't cut back into brown stems below the green foliage, as it can't re-sprout from brown stems. So only trim gently.
Yes effect produced depends on how closely sheared. Does not necessarily imply tight and artificial appearance, or topiary. Tree is already slow-growing, shaving a little off the outside each year could minimize annual increase markedly.
