Mature size & growth rate

How big does Lobbi Japanese Cedar (Cryptomeria japonica 'Lobbii') get?

Also called Lobbi Japanese Cedar, Lobbii Japanese Cedar, Cryptomeria 'Lobbii'.

More about lobbi japanese cedar

About Lobbi Japanese Cedar

Cryptomeria japonica 'Lobbii' · also called Lobbi Japanese Cedar, Lobbii Japanese Cedar · flowering

Cryptomeria japonica 'Lobbii' is a stately, fast-growing cultivar of Japanese Cedar with densely arranged, bright green foliage and a strongly conical to columnar habit. It is more compact than the species type, with tightly clustered branchlets. Suitable for large gardens and parks in temperate oceanic climates with high rainfall.

Mature size: 15–25 m tall, 4–6 m wide (50–80 ft × 13–20 ft)

Indoor size vs how big it gets in the wild

Lobbi Japanese Cedar grows on a tree's timeline and scale — indoors it becomes a tall, trunked statement plant rather than a tabletop one. Indoors and in a pot, expect 15–25 m tall, 4–6 m wide (50–80 ft × 13–20 ft). A pot, your light levels and a little pruning are what set the final size in a home, far more than the plant's theoretical potential.

It gains real height on a trunk or main stem, adding a tier of leaves a year and eventually reaching for the ceiling — this is a plant you grow up, not out.

Growth rate and years to mature

Lobbi Japanese Cedar is a fast grower. Realistically, expect two to four years from a young plant to a room-filling specimen in good light. Its feeding profile backs this up: apply a balanced slow-release granular fertiliser (e.g. 14-14-14) in early spring. in fertile soils, feeding every 2 years is sufficient. avoid late-summer nitrogen applications which stimulate soft growth susceptible to winter damage.

Want this turned into the right next pot at the right moment? The pot size calculator and the lobbi japanese cedar repotting guide cover when and how much to size up — pot size is one of the biggest levers on how fast lobbi japanese cedar grows.

How to keep lobbi japanese cedar smaller

You are not stuck with the maximum size. For lobbi japanese cedar specifically, these are the levers, in order of impact:

The decisive tool is the secateurs: lobbi japanese cedar can be topped (cut the main growing tip) to cap its height and force a bushier, shorter shape.
Keeping it deliberately pot-bound in a snug container slows the whole plant and limits ultimate size.
Prune in spring so it heals fast; remove the tallest leader back to a node to reset the height.
Expect to top or hard-prune it every year or two — left alone it heads for the ceiling.

The keep-it-smaller method, step by step

Pick the new height. Decide how tall you want lobbi japanese cedar and find a leaf node or branch point just below that.
Top the main stem. Cut the main growing tip cleanly just above that node in spring; this permanently caps the height and forces side branches.
Keep the pot snug. Avoid jumping to a much bigger pot — a slightly restricted rootball keeps the whole plant smaller.
Maintain the shape. Prune back the tallest new leaders each spring to hold it at the height you chose.

How to grow lobbi japanese cedar bigger or faster

If you want it to fill the space sooner, push the conditions rather than hoping — for lobbi japanese cedar the accelerators are:

It already wants the bright light it needs; warmth, a yearly pot-up and spring-summer feed are the accelerators.
Pot up a size every year or two while young; restricted roots are the main thing holding height back.
Feed regularly through the growing season and keep it warm — height comes from sustained good conditions.

Light is almost always the ceiling. The lobbi japanese cedar light requirements page covers exactly how bright a spot it needs to grow at its potential instead of stalling.

When lobbi japanese cedar outgrows the room (or the pot)

"Too big" usually arrives as one of these signs for lobbi japanese cedar:

The top leaves pressing against or bent by the ceiling — the classic "this is now too tall indoors" sign.
It has to be moved away from a light source it has literally outgrown.
Roots filling the largest pot you can reasonably keep indoors — at that point it is top-or-prune or move it outside (if hardy).

If it is the pot rather than the room, it is a repotting job, not a goodbye — see the lobbi japanese cedar repotting guide. If you want more of this plant instead of a bigger one, the lobbi japanese cedar propagation guide turns prunings into new plants.

Lobbi Japanese Cedar size — frequently asked questions

How big does lobbi japanese cedar get?

Lobbi Japanese Cedar reaches 15–25 m tall, 4–6 m wide (50–80 ft × 13–20 ft) when grown indoors. It gains real height on a trunk or main stem, adding a tier of leaves a year and eventually reaching for the ceiling — this is a plant you grow up, not out.

Is lobbi japanese cedar slow or fast growing?

Lobbi Japanese Cedar is a fast grower. Expect two to four years from a young plant to a room-filling specimen in good light. Lobbi Japanese Cedar grows on a tree's timeline and scale — indoors it becomes a tall, trunked statement plant rather than a tabletop one.

How long does lobbi japanese cedar take to reach full size?

Roughly two to four years from a young plant to a room-filling specimen in good light. Light, pot size and feeding move that timeline more than anything else.

How do I keep lobbi japanese cedar smaller?

The decisive tool is the secateurs: lobbi japanese cedar can be topped (cut the main growing tip) to cap its height and force a bushier, shorter shape. Keeping it deliberately pot-bound in a snug container slows the whole plant and limits ultimate size. Prune in spring so it heals fast; remove the tallest leader back to a node to reset the height. Expect to top or hard-prune it every year or two — left alone it heads for the ceiling.

How can I make lobbi japanese cedar grow bigger or faster?

It already wants the bright light it needs; warmth, a yearly pot-up and spring-summer feed are the accelerators. Pot up a size every year or two while young; restricted roots are the main thing holding height back. Feed regularly through the growing season and keep it warm — height comes from sustained good conditions.