Nootka Cypress ‘Boyko’s Sundown’ 60/80cm (5L)

New and rare! Nootka Cypress ‘Boyko’s Sundown’ – Cupressus nootkatensis is an exceptional weeping evergreen conifer that combines architectural elegance with captivating colour variation. This upright cultivar features a strong central leader with horizontal main branches from which secondary branches cascade in a strictly weeping fashion, creating a graceful silhouette that adds vertical interest and movement to gardens throughout the year.

What sets ‘Boyko’s Sundown’ apart is its distinctive foliage colouration. The predominantly green needles are randomly splashed with golden variegation, creating an ever-changing display that catches the light beautifully. This variegation appears unpredictably across the plant, ensuring that no two specimens are exactly alike. The weeping secondary branches enhance this visual effect, allowing the golden highlights to shimmer as they drape downward.

With an annual growth rate of 30 to 45 centimetres, this cultivar develops into a substantial specimen over time. After a decade of growth, you can expect your Nootka Cypress to reach approximately 4 to 5 metres in height with a spread of two-thirds that measurement, creating an impressive focal point that remains manageable in medium to large gardens. The combination of its upright habit and weeping branches makes it particularly effective as a specimen plant, where its architectural qualities can be fully appreciated.

This conifer thrives in a range of garden settings, from traditional borders to contemporary plantings. Its year-round evergreen presence provides structure during winter months, whilst the golden variegation adds warmth and luminosity to darker corners. The weeping form creates textural contrast when planted alongside more rigid conifers or broad-leaved shrubs, and its narrow profile makes it suitable for gardens where space is at a premium.

The current specimen size of 60 to 80 centimetres in a 5-litre container represents an excellent starting point, with the plant already displaying its characteristic weeping habit and variegated foliage. At this size, it establishes readily whilst remaining manageable for planting and initial positioning.

Care Guide

Nootka Cypress ‘Boyko’s Sundown’ performs best in moist but well-drained soil with a neutral to slightly acidic pH. Choose a position in full sun to partial shade, though the golden variegation will be most pronounced in locations receiving good light. This conifer tolerates the cooler, damper conditions typical of the British climate particularly well, being naturally adapted to Pacific Northwest conditions with similar rainfall patterns.

Water newly planted specimens regularly during their first growing season to encourage deep root establishment. Once established, the plant becomes reasonably drought-tolerant, though it appreciates consistent moisture during prolonged dry spells. Apply a mulch of organic matter around the base each spring to conserve moisture and suppress weeds, keeping the mulch clear of the trunk.

Feed annually in early spring with a slow-release fertiliser formulated for acid-loving plants or a general-purpose evergreen feed. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilisers that may encourage excessive soft growth at the expense of the attractive weeping form.

Pruning is rarely necessary beyond removing any dead or damaged branches. The naturally graceful habit develops without intervention, and the strong central leader maintains the upright form. If you need to restrict size, prune lightly in late spring, though this is seldom required given the moderate growth rate.

This cultivar shows good resistance to common conifer pests and diseases. Ensure adequate air circulation around the plant to prevent fungal issues, and avoid overhead watering which can encourage foliage diseases in humid conditions.

Ultimate height
4–8 metres

Time to ultimate height
20–50 years

Ultimate spread
2.5–4 metres