Mount Vernon, Ga. — Gold has not only gone off the charts in value but has become a hot commodity in the landscape as well, thanks to a group of plants called Chamaecyparis. The hot trend specifically centers on those called Gold Thread or Gold Mops. The plants are so stunning in the landscape they have overcome the lack of a marketable name. Just think, most of us can’t even begin to pronounce Chamaecyparis, add on the species name pisifera and the tongue twister just gets harder. Now consider its common name, false cypress. This conjures up visions of secondary status maybe even being fake or counterfeit. There certainly is no glamour associated with the actual market name Gold Mop, this sounds like a blonde’s bad hair day. Gold Thread, the most palatable of all the names, still doesn’t do the plant justice. Gold Thread, a conifer, is a mounding evergreen shrub that is bright gold in full sun giving way to chartreuse with more shade. Either color, will stand out in dramatic fashion when grown against a backdrop of typical, dark green foliage. Gold Thread has a wide range of adaptability, from the frigid, zone 4, through the sultry zone 8. It was just a few years ago everyone considered the maximum southern range to be zone 7, now the consensus is zone 8 and recently I’ve seen them in zone 9 performing superbly. These I want to watch further. The Gold Thread has a slow to moderate in growth rate and eventually can reach 6 to 8 feet in height and width. most that I see however are in the 3 to 4 foot range with an equal spread. Fertile well drained soil is mandatory for long term happiness. when you decide to plant, dig your planting hole two to three times as wide as the rootball and set at the same depth it is growing in the container. if your soil is heavy then by all means consider planting in raised beds where you have incorporated a prepared landscape mix. Maintain a good layer of mulch to keep soil temperatures moderate in all seasons. A little of a year ago I had the opportunity to film a garden that had pushed the envelope from the standpoint of design and I have to admit it was awesome. if you want to begin a conifer collection then the Gold Thread false cypress is a good place to start. if you simply want the landscape to dazzle in the winter as well as 12 months of the year, use a cluster in front of hollies, or tall junipers. for the ultimate wow effect, consider partnering them with some blue needled conifers. Regardless of how you plan to use them, the Gold Thread promises to be among the showiest shrubs in the landscape. NORMAN WINTER is vice president for college advancement, Brewton Parker College, Mount Vernon, Ga., and author of “Tough-as-Nails Flowers for the South” and “Captivating Combinations Color and Style in the Garden.” Readers may send him e-mail at .