I have a grafted 2 tier cypress with the bottom portion being lime green and the top dark green. Any suggestions on how to trim this. It’s getting quite large and I have no idea what to do with it. I’ve attached a photo. Thanks so much.
Thank you for contacting Toronto Master Gardeners.
From your picture your 2/3 grafted tree is a Chamaecyparis obtusa commonly called Japanese cypress, hinoki cypress or hinoki false cypress.
Evergreens or conifers are usually pruned only to remove dead, diseased or damaged wood. You can also prune them to encourage bushier growth, while maintaining a good display.
Unlike deciduous shrubs, conifers do not readily produce new shoots on old wood. This means that pruning should be limited to stems less than two years of age. Use a hand pruner to cut the new shoots back by no more than one-thirds of the length.
These evergreens should be pruned when the new shoots are almost fully grown, around late June. You can also prune them until early September, except during extremely hot or dry spells.
For more information on caring for your 2/3 grafted cypress, please visit the following sites: