Scott:
Let's check on cheap winter flights to the coast. Sounds like runk needs a landscape intervention.
Chamaecyparis thyoides is Atlantic white cedar or white cedar falsecypress (as far as some common names go). I think Scott got conked on the head by one of his Acer or Carpinus logs; he's mistaken about Chamaecyparis thyoides culture. Root rot susceptibility may be due to heavy clays, wrong pH, or high heat/humidity happenings but not due to just wetness. Chamthy and runk are right on. Except: what reference called it a house plant? I'd love to see that one.
Per Dirr:
Quoting:CULTURE: In the wild, charateristic of fresh-water swamps and bogs, wet depressions, or stream banks, and is rarely found except on such sites; extensive pure stands are the rule, occurring on shallow peat-covered soils underlain with sand; under cultivation it is best to provide a moist, sandy soil; have observed in dry soils under cultivation; prefers full sun and cannot compete with hardwood species.
Dirr also mentions that he has seen considerable stands in Massachusetts, and that "...perhaps one of the most beautiful sites is the White Cedar Swamp in the Cape Cod National Seashore where an interpretive trail leads one through a native stand." Virtually
runk's back yard (or within the Sound of her voice).
This plant
wants to be in wet sandy soils, but tolerates otherwise in gardens. It would rather be in full sun, or it will
lean toward stronger light as it grows. I think all
runk needs to do is provide the support for the multi-stemmed character that her tree has grown into, and all will be well.
Some people go radical and gradually prune out the excess stemmed-ness, reducing ultimately to one leader. That goes against the nature of this species -- virtually every plant (non-cultivated) I've seen has more than one trunk. Best choice is start with small plant and keep it at one leader as it grows, rather than try to reverse a healthy mature specimen.
The alternative is as Scott has proposed -- figure out how to knit the trunks into self-supported units. The eye-hook method is reasonable, though someone has to climb into the center of that plant in order to accomplish it. That's a fun winter job (maybe
trun is up to the task;
leadership qualities and all). I'd vote for some broad rope or strapping to support it for the winter against snow/ice breakage and then go for a permanent solution come nicer spring weather.
I believe (southeastern VAians and northeastern NCians correct me) that this is the tree of the Great Dismal Swamp, which is a fun drive if you've never done it. Your spouse will thank you.
