Arizona cypress

[palmmermaid]

At the plant sale last weekend at Mounts here in Palm Beach, I noticed 2 new tress (actually they have been there a couple of years). They were Aizona cypress. Wow! Do they ever make a statement against all the green! That luscious blue-green color is beautiful. Do any of you other Florida folks know anything about this tree? I found a source in Malabar and am wondering if it is worth my while.

[fastfeat]

I think it will be marginal in SoFla. It is from dry areas of CA, AZ and Mexico. Temps aren't the problem; humidity and excessive rainfall would be. I'd expect floppy growth, susceptible to storms and Corymeum canker, much like Italian cypress (C. sempervirens)in this climate.

They will probably persist for a few years, but never really thrive. Maybe use as a temporary filler or accent that you can remove when it gets ratty or blows over.

[Eric in Orlando]

They grow around here but need full sun, well drained soil and good air circulation. Usually what is sold is Cupressus arizonica var. glabra 'Glauca' but there are some other nice cultivars like 'Blue Ice', 'Carolina Sapphire' and 'Blue Pyramid'. This is a cool tree.

[_Keith]

I just bought 3 of these. After researching I came up with the same recommendations that Eric gave. Be prepared to deal with Bagworms as well.

[palmmermaid]

Thanks. The ones at Mounts are in the succulent garden and seem to be doing fine. Mike Zimmerman has a couple at his nursery and they are doing well. I do have a very dry area in my yard and these are such a standout because of the color I thought I would try one.

Edited April 29, 2008 by palmmermaid

[_Keith]

Thanks. The ones at Mounts are in the succulent garden and seem to be doing fine. Mike Zimmerman has a couple at his nursery and they are doing well. I do have a very dry area in my yard and these are such a standout because of the color I thought I would try one.

I am a firm believer in trying anything once, and that you haven't really tried to grow a plant until you have killed at least 3. But, bear in mind too, that if I am not mistaken you guys have been in several years of drought, so some things, like those trees may suffer when the area returns to its normal 60 inches a year of rain with its accompanying humidity. None of that is stopping me from trying them, and I know you know all of this stuff, but I had to mention it.

[palmmermaid]

Keith,

I am a believer in the rule of 3 as well. If I kill 3 of the same thing, I give up.

I do have 1 spot that stays dry all the time and that's where I plan on putting it. I have a pretty dry lot for our area. I tested every piece of property before we made on offer for wetness because of my horses. Horses can't stand in wet or their feet rot away.

[Eric in Orlando]

We are growing 'Glauca', 'Blue Ice', and 'Caroina Sapphire'. We have never had a problem (fungus, insects) with them except for some 'Glauca' that got shade from some other trees and slowly declined. The others get irrigation but are in well drained soil. They ren't bothered by the high summer rainfall/humidity.

'Blue Ice'

'Carolina Sapphire'

[_Keith]

Here is the source I had originally looked at that talked about humidity and bagworms.

http://hort.ufl.edu/trees/CUPARIA.pdf

Another site didn't recommend it east of Texas.

It seems like it no problem for Orlando as you are clearly demonstrating, but aren't you guys in a multi-year dry stretch as well, or have things shifted back towards normal.

[Eric in Orlando]

We have been in a semi dry period but the ones in the photos get regular overhead irrigation. In fact the 'Carolina Sapphire' is growing in an area with heavy soil that stays fairly wet all the time. I haven't seen any over about 10ft tall in this area but they haven't really been planted except in the last 5-10 years. Hopefully they will hold up long term as they are very attractive. Seems like it would be a good xeric plant once it is established.

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

We have one in the Deerfield Arboretum. I found it at Black Olive East in Dania. This nursery is almost as good as Boynton Botanicals for rare stuff. Anyway, he had a lot of good looking ones but I was not interseted in them. I told him to find the ugliest, crookedest one and he picked out a beautiful lopsided leaner. It has been growing very well in the Japanese garden for about two years now.

Jerry