Cypress (the photo of the plant looks just 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 not at all like that. If you have an idea about its main characteristics, then it is quite possible to grow this incredibly beautiful tree on your backyard.
General information and specifications
So, what is Arizona cypress? Description below. It is an evergreen plant widely used for beautification of territories and public parks, as well as used in landscape design. The needles are softer than, for example, those of spruce or pine, and the crown has a pin-shaped shape, tapering towards the top. On the branches are small cones of light brown color. The characteristics of the Arizona cypress are simply excellent, which is why many people plant it in their garden. Trees grow up to 25 meters high and lookstunning at any time of the year, however, it would take over 100 years to do so. As a rule, the average sizes are between 8 and 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 their resin, the trees are highly resistant to various diseases and harmful insects.
Arizona cypress is unpretentious in care, so it is widely used in the design of personal plots around the world. By planting it in your garden, you can make it fresher and more attractive, as well as create a rich atmosphere. In addition, shrubs can be used to make a chic hedge, which will be impossible to look away from.
Spread in nature
Where does the Arizona cypress grow in the wild? As it is not difficult to guess from the name, its homeland is North America. The largest concentration of culture is concentrated in the Southwestern United States and Mexico. Trees adapt perfectly to any type of soil, and also survive well in mountainous areas. In nature, the average height of a cypress is 10 meters.
In Canada and the northern United States, cypress is not found, because at air temperatures below -25 degrees, the root system freezes and the plant dies. In addition, in very harsh climatic conditions, young shoots are simply not capable ofsurvive.
Arizona cypress is a centenarian. In the wild, there were representatives of this species, whose age reached 500 years. The main method of reproduction in nature is by seed. At the end of summer, the 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 long distances.
Fitting technology
Cypress can be grown both from seeds and from ready-made seedlings. The second option is more preferable, since it is very difficult to germinate movra. This will take a lot of time and effort. If you bought sprouts in a gardening store, then planting Arizona cypress is carried out in several stages. So that you can do everything right and grow a strong, he althy and beautiful tree, each of them will be discussed in detail below.
Preparing the plant
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 a flat place or hill for it, but in no case should you plant a tree in a lowland. If you plan to plant several cypress trees, then between them you need to step back such a distance that the shadow from one plant does not fall on the next one.
Drainage system
So what is she like? In order to avoid any problems when growing Arizona cypress (the root system does not rot), drainage must be created at the bottom of the hole. It is necessary for diversion from the rootexcess moisture systems so that it does not rot 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, soddy and leafy soil, as well as peat. All components are taken in the same amount, with the exception of the earth, which requires twice as much. The embankment needs to be well compacted.
When choosing seedlings, pay attention to the fact that the rhizome is with an earthy clod. If it is bare, then when it is placed in the hole, fragile young roots can be accidentally damaged. The pit and lump are pre-watered with plenty of water, and after the liquid is completely absorbed, the planting material is placed inside. It is very important to spread the root system well. Her neck should be slightly below ground level. Strongly fill the hole should not be, because otherwise the roots will receive an insufficient amount of oxygen. The soil is slightly trampled down so that there are no voids in it, after which it is watered abundantly.
The soil will shrink after a while, so it will be necessary to add some fresh substrate to the hole and mulch. Until the Arizona cypress grows, its trunk must be tied to a support so that the young tree does not tilt. When the root system gets stronger, it can be removed.
Keeping plants at home
Let's take a closer look at this. If you decide to plant Arizona cypress in your garden, caring for the plant will not require any special effort. As it was said earlier,the culture is distinguished by its unpretentiousness, perfectly adapts to any soil and various climatic conditions, and also rarely gets sick and suffers from insects. However, this does not mean at all that you can plant a tree and forget about it, since it still needs some care.
The he alth and attractiveness of a plant largely depends on how well the place for planting is chosen, as well as on watering and thermal conditions. Best of all, cypress will feel in partial shade. But if it is not possible to create one, then you can plant trees in an open area with good lighting.
As for watering, it is not necessary to carry out them too often. It will be enough just to keep the soil moist. An excess of moisture can lead to rotting of the root system and death of the plant. If you live in a region with a hot climate, then in the summer the crown must be regularly irrigated with water.
Despite the fact that the frost resistance of Arizona cypress is high, for the winter the soil around the trunk should be mulched without fail. With frost at minus 25 degrees and below, the roots of the plant will simply die.
Feeding and transplanting
In the wild, cypress grows on a variety of soil types, but when grown indoors, it is best to use a substrate made from sand, peat and soddy soil. It is not recommended to use limestone soil, as the culture will feel bad on it. Mulching is a must, especiallyfor regions with cold climates. For this, it is recommended to use crushed tree 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 cowshed 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 diluted in water.
It is best to transplant cypress in the spring, so that it can take root normally and get stronger in a new place before the onset of cold weather. It is performed in the same way as planting a seedling. When doing this, you should be very careful, because the roots of the tree grow very strongly, they are easy to damage during digging.
Reproduction
Many gardeners prefer to plant coniferous trees in their backyard as they are very easy to cultivate. The Arizona cypress was no exception. Culture propagation is possible in the following ways:
- seed;
- cutting;
- layering.
Each method has its pros and cons, so let's take a closer look at each one so you can choose the best option for you.
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. At the beginning of autumn from conesseeds are selected and dried, after which they are sown in small containers filled with a special substrate. In winter, the pots are buried in the snow, where they are left until the onset of spring. Then the container is transferred to a warm room with a good level of lighting. When the seeds germinate, usually after about 7 days, the sprouts are watered abundantly.
When it is warm outside, the plants are briefly taken out into the fresh air for hardening. At first, the duration of the procedure should be 30 minutes, but gradually it increases. At the beginning of summer, cypress can be planted on open ground using the technology described earlier. Young trees during the first years of life should be wrapped up for the winter so that they do not die.
Cutting
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 he althy shoots. Their length should be 10-15 centimeters.
The cuttings are placed in water, and a day later they are buried in a light, loose substrate made from sand, perlite and soddy soil, which is watered abundantly. The container is wrapped with a film and placed in a warm and well-lit room. Inside a kind of greenhouse, high humidity should be constantly maintained. This is necessary in order to quickly form and strengthen the root system.
The shoots can be immediately planted in the garden, provided that they are also covered with foil. So they can not only harden and get stronger faster, but also overwinter normally. However, if rooting is too slow, then in this case it is better to dig up the cutting and transplant it into a pot.
Propagation by layering
This method is not widely used among gardeners, because it has a very complex technology. To obtain a high-quality layering, you need to select an old tree branch located 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 should 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 in open ground. It is best to do this in the middle of spring, when the weather will already be warm outside, so that the plant has time to take root in a new place and get stronger before the onset of winter.
Conclusion
Arizona cypress is a very beautiful and unpretentious plant that will be a great decoration for any backyard. By adhering to the general tips and recommendations for planting, caring for and propagating a tree, you can create a unique atmosphere and excellent conditions for living and relaxing in your garden and surrounding area.
