Cypress (the photo of the plant looks simply amazing) is not very widespread in our country, since many people are mistakenly convinced that it is problematic in reproduction and care, but in reality everything is completely different. If you have an idea of its main characteristics, it is quite possible to grow this incredibly beautiful tree on your personal plot.
General information and specifications
So what is Arizona cypress? Description hereinafter. This is an evergreen plant, widely used for landscaping areas and public parks, as well as used in landscape design. The needles are softer than, for example, spruce or pine, and the crown has a bowling shape, tapering to the top. On the branches are small cones of light brown color. The characteristics of Arizona cypress are simply excellent, so many people plant it in their garden. Trees grow to a height of 25 meters and look amazing at any time of the year, but this will take more than 100 years. Typically, average sizes range from 8 to 12 meters.
The plant perfectly adapts to any climatic conditions. It is able to do without water for a long period of time, and also withstand twenty-degree frosts. Thanks to its resin, trees are highly resistant to various diseases and harmful insects.
Arizona cypress is unpretentious in leaving, therefore it is widely used in registration of personal plots around the world. Having planted it in your garden, you can make it more fresh and attractive, as well as create a rich atmosphere. In addition, from the bushes you can make a chic hedge, it will be impossible to take your eyes off it.
Spread in nature
Where does Arizona cypress grow in the wild? As it is not difficult to guess from the name, its homeland is North America. The greatest concentration of culture is concentrated in the Southwestern United States and Mexico. Trees perfectly adapt on any type of soil, and also survive well in mountainous areas. In nature, the height of cypress averages 10 meters.
In Canada and the northern United States, cypress does not occur, because at temperatures below -25 degrees the root system freezes and the plant dies. In addition, in very severe climatic conditions, young shoots are simply not able to survive.
Arizona cypress belongs to the centenarians. In the wild, there were representatives of this species, whose age reached 500 years. The main method of reproduction in nature is seed. At the end of summer, male cones open, and yellow pollen flies out of them, which fertilizes the female ones. Further, the seeds are carried by the wind over fairly large distances.
Landing technology
Cypress can be grown both from seeds and from finished seedlings. The second option is preferable, since it is very difficult to germinate the movra. This will require a lot of time and effort. If you bought sprouts in a store for gardeners, then planting Arizona cypress is carried out in several stages. So that you can do everything right and grow a strong, healthy and beautiful tree, each of them will be examined in detail below.
Plant preparation
The hole in which you will plant Arizona cypress must be prepared in advance. The depth of the pit should not be more than one meter, and the width should be approximately 60 centimeters. It is best to choose an even place or elevation for it, but in no case should a tree be planted in a lowland. If you plan to plant several cypress trees, then between them you need to retreat such a distance so that the shadow from one plant does not fall on the neighboring one.
Drainage system
So what is she like? In order to avoid any problems when growing Arizona cypress (the root system does not rot), a drainage should be created at the bottom of the hole. It is necessary to divert excess moisture from the root system so that it does not decay and can breathe normally. To do this, the bottom of the pit is covered with broken brick, which is sprinkled on top with a mixture of sand, turf and leafy soil, as well as peat. All components are taken in the same quantity, with the exception of land, which requires twice as much. The embankment needs to be carefully tamped.
When choosing seedlings, pay attention to the fact that the rhizome is with an earthen lump. If it is bare, then when you place it in the hole, you can accidentally damage fragile young roots. The pit and lump are pre-watered with a copious amount of water, and after the liquid is completely absorbed, the planting material is placed inside. In this case, it is very important to spread the root system well. Her neck should be slightly below ground level. Do not fall asleep heavily, because otherwise the roots will receive insufficient oxygen. The soil is slightly crushed so that there are no voids in it, after which it is watered abundantly.
After some time, the soil will settle, so it will be necessary to add a little fresh substrate to the pit and mulch. Until Arizona cypress grows, its trunk needs to be tied to a support so that the young tree does not tilt. When the root system gets stronger, it can be removed.
The content of the plant at home
Let's dwell on this in more detail. If you decide to plant Arizona cypress in your garden, caring for the plant will not require any special effort. As mentioned earlier, the culture is notable for its unpretentiousness, perfectly adapts to any soil and various climatic conditions, and is also rarely sick and suffers from insects. However, this does not mean that you can plant a tree and forget about it, since it still needs some care.
The health and attractiveness of the plant largely depends on how well the place for planting is chosen, as well as on irrigation and thermal conditions. Cypress will feel best in partial shade conditions. But if you can’t create one, you can plant trees in an open area with good lighting.
As for irrigation, too often they are not required. It will be enough just to keep the soil moist. Excess moisture can lead to decay of the root system and death of the plant. If you live in a region with a hot climate, then in the summer period you need to irrigate the crown regularly with water.
Despite the fact that the frost resistance of Arizona cypress is high, in winter the soil around the trunk should be mulched without fail. With frost at minus 25 degrees and below, the roots of the plant simply die.
Feeding and transplanting
In the wild, cypress grows on various types of soils, but when grown at home, it is best to use a substrate made from sand, peat and turf land. It is not recommended to use limestone soil, because the culture will feel bad on it. Mulching is mandatory, especially for regions with a cold climate. To do this, it is recommended to use crushed wood bark and other natural materials. This will not only protect the roots from frost, but also give the hole an attractive appearance.
Young plants need frequent feeding with a mixture of a barn and superphosphates. It is carried out twice a month, and as the tree grows older they are gradually reduced. Every spring and autumn, minerals are added to the soil, which are bred in water.
A cypress transplant is best done in the spring, so that it can take root normally and grow stronger in a new place before the onset of cold weather. It is performed in the same way as planting a seedling. It should be very careful, because the roots of the tree grow very much, they are easy to damage during digging.
Breeding
Many gardeners prefer to plant conifers in their garden, as they are very easy to cultivate. Arizona cypress was no exception. Cultivation is possible in the following ways:
Each method has certain pros and cons, so that you can choose the best option for yourself, we will consider each of them in more detail.
Seed propagation
This method is one of the simplest, but it has low efficiency, and also leads to the loss of species characteristics of cypress. In early autumn, seeds are taken from the cones and dried, after which they are sown in small containers filled with a special substrate. In winter, pots are buried in the snow, where they are left until spring. Then the container is transferred to a warm room with a good level of lighting. When the seeds germinate, as a rule, this occurs after about 7 days, the sprouts are watered abundantly.
When it is warm outside, the plants briefly take out into the fresh air for hardening. Initially, the duration of the procedure should be 30 minutes, but gradually it increases. In early summer, cypress can be planted on open ground according to the technology described earlier. Young trees during the first years of life should be wrapped for the winter so that they do not die.
Cuttings
What is the peculiarity of this method? Cypress (a photo of a plant with a well-groomed crown is in this article) is most often propagated using cuttings. This method is one of the most effective, because it allows you to get high-quality planting material. Layers are cut from the most healthy shoots. Their length should be 10-15 centimeters.
Cuttings are placed in water, and after 24 hours they are instilled into a light, loose substrate made of sand, perlite and turf ground, which is abundantly watered. The container is wrapped with foil and placed in a warm and well-lit room. Inside a kind of greenhouse, high humidity should be constantly maintained. This is necessary so that the root system is formed and strengthened faster.
Shoots can be planted immediately in the garden, provided that they are also covered with foil. So they can not only harden and grow stronger faster, but also normally winter. However, if rooting is too slow, then in this case it is better to dig the stalk and transplant into a pot.
Propagation by layering
This method is not too widespread among gardeners, because it has a very complex technology. To obtain high-quality layering, you need to select the old tree branch closest to the ground, and make an incision on it, into which any solid object is inserted, after which it is sprinkled with earth.
In about 3 months, new roots will form at the incision site. Throughout this time, the layering is regularly watered so that the soil does not dry out. When the root system is formed, the branch is completely cut off from the mother tree and planted on open ground. It is best to do this in mid-spring, when the weather will already be warm on the street, so that the plant has time to take root in a new place and grow stronger before the onset of winter.
Conclusion
Arizona cypress is a very beautiful and unpretentious plant that will be an excellent decoration for any homestead. Adhering to general advice and recommendations on planting, care and propagation of a tree, you can create a unique atmosphere and excellent conditions for living and relaxing in your garden and the territory adjacent to the house.