Cryptomeria Species, Japanese Cedar, Japanese Redwood

Cryptomeria is a monotypic genus of conifer in the cypress family Cupressaceae, formerly belonging to the family Taxodiaceae. It includes...Read More only one species, Cryptomeria japonica (syn. Cupressus japonica L.f.). It is endemic to Japan, where it is known as Sugi (Japanese: 杉). The tree is often called Japanese cedar in English, though the tree is not related to the true cedars (Cedrus) - a direct quote from Wikipedia)
It is a large evergreen tree which can grow up to 70m (230'). It tolerates poor soils, and cold dry climates.

I've had two very different experiences with Japanese Cedars. In Sofia, at 2300 feet AMSL, they grow well in an acidic woodland soil.
...Read More/> At the seaside however, they are one of the worst experiences I've had with any plant. I have planted a specimen there but it just keeps getting browner and browner and hasn't grown an inch. There, the soil is dryish and rainfall is scarce, so this plant is a poor performer.
Otherwise, it is an outstanding tree with much character.

Your listing here seems to refer to the wild ancestor which is indeed a big tree but there are around fifty cultivars mostly dwarf conife...Read Morers suitable for any garden. Most crytomerias are slow growing and have very tight needle foliage which is very attractive. A number have twisted spiderlike branches like 'Spiralis'. 'Compressa' and 'Vilmoriana' are two spherical/mound formers that will give no trouble. Because of their slow growth its easy to assume they are true dwarfs but a trip to Heligan, Cornwall will reveal 'Elegans' can grow to 40 foot or so given a hundred years.