How to prune japanese cedar 'spiralis'

Early to mid-spring, before new growth extends. Remove dead or brown shoots by cutting back to healthy wood. If thinning, selectively remove a few older inner branches entirely rather than shearing tips, preserving the characteristic spiral shoot appearance throughout the canopy.

Rarely — light tidy-up in spring; no routine shearing needed. Cryptomeria japonica 'Spiralis' ('Granny's Ringlets') is grown for its distinctive spirally twisted foliage, which requires no pruning to develop. Remove dead shoots in spring. You can lightly thin congested growth on older specimens to improve air circulation, but heavy shearing destroys the ornamental twisted foliage effect that defines this cultivar.

Remove dead or brown shoots by cutting back to healthy wood. If thinning, selectively remove a few older inner branches entirely rather than shearing tips, preserving the characteristic spiral shoot appearance throughout the canopy.