Hinoki cypress- a fool's errand?

[Newish in Oregon]

Someone on Craigslist is looking to get a Hinoki cypress out of his yard. Says it's been in the ground 8-10 years and is ~20' tall; I'm guessing the first branch is ~2' off the ground and, as you can see, the trunk is ramrod straight. So, if I can get it out of the ground, should I? Take it down to ~3' and pray for back-budding? Other thoughts? Or just walk away?

 

[Clicio]

They are not very good at backbudding...
Unfortunately.

 

[Crazy Diamond]

Well you can try grafting to get lower branches and cut it down progressively, but see if the trunk have any movement or taper first

 

[sorce]

I'd stick it in the yard and keep it tight.

Sorce

 

[hinmo24t]

ya, in grounjd or in a big container, nice trees

 

[mwar15]

I would chop it and jin the top. See if it would transplant. I like the grafting idea, never grafted cypress

 

[rockm]

Hinoki Cypress will not backbud on old wood, without leaving some foliage on the branch being pruned. Topping this one may, or may not result in backbudding to build a new apex from. Best bet if you you shorten it is to prune back to a branch with foliage and use it...Personally, I would bother with this one...trunk's too straight and taperless, it's going to be a hassle in development. Only thing it may have going for it could be the nebari (root crown) Older in ground trees can sometimes have good nebari to work with...Take a look lower down...