Arizona Cypress
COMMON NAMES: ARIZONA CYPRESS
BOTANICAL NAME: Cupressus arizonica (koo-PRESS-us air-ah-ZON-ih-ca)
FAMILY: Pinaceae (Pine Family)
TYPE: Evergreen tree
HEIGHT: 40 to 50 feet reaching as high as 90 feet
SPREAD: 30 to 40 feet
FINAL SPACING: 20 to 30 feet
NATURAL HABITAT AND PREFERRED SITE: Well-drained soil at altitudes of 3,000 to 8,000 feet are the native habitats of this plant. Arizona cypress grows wild in the Chisos Mountains of the Big Bend National Park in Brewster County but adapts to a wide range of soils in other parts of the state.
IDENTIFICATION INFORMATION: Arizona cypress is an evergreen tree that reaches an ultimate height of 90 feet. It has stout horizontal branches and a conical or rounded crown or sometimes an irregular shape. Tends to be more upright when young and more spreading with age and has aromatic bluegreen, evergreen foliage.
FLOWERS AND FRUIT: Flowers are inconspicuous, small and are born in the spring. Fruits are cones, ¾ to 1 inch long, dark reddish brown, maturing at the end of the second year. There are numerous dark reddish brown seed that are compressed and winged.
BARK: Colorful and flaky becoming dark reddish brown with age. A sticky sap will often be present.
FOLIAGE: Aromatic bluegreen, evergreen foliage. The leaves are minute and scale like about 1/16 inch long.
CULTURE: Arizona cypress is relatively easy to grow in most soils that drain well. It likes west Texas, a dry climate or at least a well-drained site. It is drought tolerant and needs little fertilizer.
PROBLEMS: Over fertilizing can cause various root fungal diseases and other problems. Heat and humidity of the eastern part of the state are tough on this tree.
PROPAGATION: Arizona cypress can be grown easily from seed. Germination occurs in 2 to 3 weeks. Cones can be open by sun drying prior to planting. Propagation by cuttings is also possible.
INSIGHT: Arizona cypress is an excellent Christmas tree when young. It is an excellent tree to plant in the western part of the state and should be used more. It should be avoided in the eastern part of the state east of the Trinity River unless excellent soil conditions exist.
Some other cypress trees:
Italian cypress, (Cupressus sempervirens) is the extremely vertical evergreen tree that is used in formal gardens. It has very dark green, juniper like foliage, grows well in any well drained soil in full sun. It is used as a background plant, tall border, a screen or a specimen tree for formal gardens. It can also be used as a windbreak. Problems include spider mites, bagworms, disease problems and it is relatively short lived.
Leyland cypress (Cupressus ocyparis leylandii) is another introduced cypress that doesn’t grow quite as tall as Italian cypress but is wider, often used as an evergreen Christmas tree and is relatively well-adapted in Texas in very well-drained soils. It can be used as background or an evergreen specimen. Its problems include rootrot and poorly drained soils.
Contact Information
Dirt Doctor Inc.
P.O. Box 140650
Dallas, TX 75214
Phone: 1-866-444-3478 (DIRT)
Office: 214-365-0606
Email: doreen@dirtdoctor.com
Copyright 2008
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