Lawson's cypress
Chamaecyparis lawsoniana
Last reviewed: September 2026
Toxicity unknown
Lawson's cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.
Light
part sun
Water
medium
Size
720"–1800" H × 180"–300" W
Bloom
Feb, Mar, Apr
Native to
CA, OR
Pollinators
wind-pollinated
Before you buy
Your city may pay you to plant this
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A large, pyramidal conifer with soft, flattened sprays of scale-like evergreen foliage and small round cones. It grows in a graceful, drooping form that has made it a popular ornamental tree.
Wildlife value
Dense evergreen cover provides year-round nesting and roosting habitat for birds, and small mammals eat the seed cones.
Common questions
- How much sun does Lawson's cypress need?
- Lawson's cypress grows best in part sun conditions.
- When does Lawson's cypress bloom?
- Lawson's cypress blooms in February, March, and April.
- Where is Lawson's cypress native?
- Lawson's cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana) is native to CA, OR, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
- What pollinators does Lawson's cypress attract?
- Lawson's cypress draws wind-pollinated.
Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Ready to grow Lawson's cypress? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.
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