Nutkan cypress in the photo

Nutkan cypress- a tree of the first size with a narrow conical crown. Even in central Russia, it is possible to overwinter, a light shelter is enough. Valuable for the fact that the needles contain essential oil and vitamin C and, of course, for its decorative effect.

As you can see in the photo, a cypress plant of this species is used for single and group plantings against the background of a lawn:

Cypress
Cypress

The most famous form is "Pen-dula". It is only 2.5 m in height, the crown is weeping, shoots flowing downward.

Pea cypress in the photo

Pea cypress- Japanese species, very original with its crown. It is narrow pyramidal, the branches are directed upward, and their ends hang down. The needles are shiny, green, with whitish stripes. The tree is frost-resistant, loves moist soils and moist air.

This species is most in demand on stony ridges, as it grows very slowly and has a squat crown.

Popular form "Ballward"... It is a dwarf, very slow growing plant up to 1 m in height. It has a conical crown and climbing shoots with silvery-blue needles.

Pay attention to the photo - in winter this cypress variety turns purple-blue:

Cypress in winter
Cypress in winter

The form "Filifera Aurea" belongs to the same type.- dwarf tree up to 1 m in height. The crown is shirokokonicheskaya. From the ends of the branches hang down bright yellow threadlike branches - annual shoots. Used as a tub culture.

Dull cypress at home in Japan, it is a large tree up to 35 m tall with a dense, wide, sharply rounded crown and characteristic hanging ends of the branches. The twigs are flat. The bark is brownish-reddish, smooth. The needles are thick, scaly, dark green above and gray-green below.

Look at the photo - this type of cypress has single cones on short stalks, brown-orange, up to 1 cm in diameter, ripening in the first year:

Cypress cones
Cypress cones

Like other types of cypress, the blunt has many decorative forms. The most interesting of them are dwarf, slowly growing.

Among the very small, dwarf cypress trees there is the "Nana" form.

Its height is only 50 cm. The twigs folded like shells fold away from the compact bush in different directions. The needles are dark green, glossy.

The plant is very decorative, which allows it to be used in indoor or greenhouse conditions, as well as in the open field on alpine slides.

Lawson's cypress- a very beautiful large tree. In North America, in forests, it reaches a height of 20-25 m. It is characterized by horizontally growing branches with hanging tips. The bark is reddish brown with round scaly plates. The needles of adult plants are greenish-gray above and bluish-green below. Cones are numerous, small, 7-8 mm in diameter.

There is a wide variety of forms, which are distinguished by small scaly paired needles and small rounded fruit-cones - flat, with outgrowths in the center.

So, form "Allumiy"- with blue needles, paws directed upwards, is a decorative miracle. The height of a ten-year-old plant does not exceed 2 m. It is used for single plantings and original hedges.

Form "Columnaris"- a columnar tree growing in a column up to 2 m high. It is used for single plantings and high curbs.

The dwarf is very popular Elwoody uniform... The gray-green needles acquire a blue tint in winter, with a metallic sheen. The height of the tree is 1.5 m. It grows very slowly. Indispensable for alpine slides and tub culture.

But the record for stunted stature was set by such a cypress variety of this species as

"Minima Aurea"- at the age of ten he is only 30 cm in height.

This is a good bonsai material. It grows very slowly. The form is very decorative because of the bright yellow needles scales. Used in alpine slides and tub culture.

Dwarf forms "Minima Glauka"

and "Lana", the same undersized, but inferior to the previous one in decorativeness. "Lana" is also called "golden feathers" for year-round, yellow-colored needles. But the crown of a tree is often spreading, although in nature it has a conical shape.

Caring for cypress varieties in the garden (with photo)

Despite the variety of species and forms of cypress trees, their biological requirements are, in general, similar, but differ significantly from the requirements of the cypress relative. These are - in contrast to cypress - slow-growing plants that do not tolerate air smoke and dry soils. For successful care of all varieties of cypress trees, the best soils are fresh, sandy loam.

Plants are able to tolerate slight darkening, frost-hardy, but not absolutely. They do not tolerate strong winds. They live much less than cypress, the trees of which can be centuries old.

In the south, especially in the steppe zone, the cypress tree is not entirely comfortable due to the dry air and heavy soils. Therefore, it is better to focus on the tub culture.

When caring for a cypress tree in the garden, remember that at a young age these plants are moisture-loving, but high-standing groundwater is contraindicated for them.

Adult, well-developed specimens show drought resistance in summer, they simply do not give growth until the onset of a wet autumn.

Cypress trees add a southern flavor to personal and summer cottages, even in the central zone of Russia.

In late winter - early spring, in many species and decorative forms, the apical shoots of the last year suffer.

As shown in the photo, when caring for cypress trees, "burnt" and frozen shoots must be cut out:

Frozen shoots
Frozen shoots

During the spring awakening period, it is good to spray with one of the growth stimulants (Energen, Epin, Zircon, Albit, etc.) and water the soil abundantly, especially after frosty winters.

Growing cypress from seeds, propagation by cuttings and grafting

Reproduction of cypress trees, like most conifers, is carried out by seeds, cuttings and grafting.

For growing cypress trees, the seeds are harvested when the bolls begin to open slightly. The seeds are dried in a ventilated area. Sowing is best done with fresh seeds in late autumn, but it is also possible in spring, having previously prostrated them. Seeds are sown in spring, sprinkled, sprinkled on top with humus or peat crumbs. When sowing, heavy soils should be avoided.

For the winter, it is recommended to cover crops with fallen leaves or lightly sprinkle with humus. In the spring, the shelter is removed gradually. Seedlings are grown in stages, that is, the emerging seedlings are planted in the 2nd year, where they are given a large feeding area - 20-30 cm, and they are grown there for 3-4 years. When transplanting to a permanent place or to another bed, be sure to keep a clod of earth.

All garden forms are propagated vegetatively, mainly by cuttings. For propagation of cypress, cuttings are cut with a "heel" 5-8 cm in size and 2.5 mm thick. The "heel" is a piece of wood at the place of attachment of the one-year shoot. Cuttings are best harvested from young, well-developed plants. You can cut them in spring and summer. Spring - take root better.

Rooting requires a warm substrate, which is created in a greenhouse, where there is a layer of manure and earth. On top of the ground, it is imperative to provide for a layer of sand - 1-1.5 cm. Cuttings take root after 1-1.5 months.

If the root system develops well, then after a year they are planted in the ground, where they stay for 3-4 years. With slow growth and a weak root system, the cuttings are left for another 1-2 years in a greenhouse.

Cypress grafting requires special skills. It can be done in late summer and winter in a greenhouse or room.

Two to three-year-old seedlings of cypress, cypress or thuja are taken as a stock. The method of grafting is from the side in the split, if the cutting is much thinner than the rootstock, and from the side, in the butt, if the cuttings are strong. The month of vaccination depends on the ripening of the shoot (August - September).

Winter vaccinations begin in February and end with the awakening of shoot growth - at the end of April. Immediately before grafting, the soil under the rootstocks is watered abundantly.