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Pyramidal cypress is an evergreen, tall coniferous tree common on the Crimean coast. Belongs to the cypress family. The arrow-like crown inherent in the pyramidal evergreen cypress was bred by the Greeks of Ancient Hellas. It does not occur in the wild in nature, the pyramidal cypress was bred by breeders of the Nikitsky Botanical Garden. The parent tree is an evergreen cypress, which differs from the pyramidal arrangement of branches, is found in Northern Iran, Asia on the Mediterranean coast.
Description of the pyramidal cypress
Evergreen cypress is sometimes called Italian, because it is believed that it first appeared in the eastern Mediterranean, and from there it migrated to European regions.
The evergreen pyramidal cypress belongs to centenarians, its life span is calculated not in decades, but in several centuries. This coniferous tree grows very slowly, reaching a height of 20 to 40 m by the centenary of its existence. The greatest growth is noted at the beginning of the tree’s life. In the first three years, the cypress grows up to 1-2 m in height. By the age of fifty, the growth falls, and the evergreen pyramidal cypress reaches its maximum point of growth by the age of 100.
The trunk of an evergreen pyramidal cypress is upright, covered with dark gray or brown bark. Young trees have light brown bark, darkening with age and turning brown.
The narrow pyramidal crown is formed by branches that are tightly adjacent to the trunk and directed vertically. The leaves of evergreen cypress are scale-like, small. The needles are elongated-rhombic in shape. The needles are attached crosswise.
In pyramidal evergreen cypress, rounded cones are formed that have a gray-brown color. Cones in appearance resemble a ball. The scales covering the cone are equipped with spikes. Seeds are formed inside the cones, the number of which varies from 20 to 30 pieces each.
Maturation of cones occurs in the second year after the appearance. Seeds are small, equipped with wings for better distribution throughout the territory. Seeds remain viable for 5-6 years.
Cypress pyramidal evergreen refers to shade-tolerant and drought-resistant coniferous specimens. Prefers a mild warm climate, but can survive temperatures as low as -20°C.
Evergreen pyramidal cypress tolerates shaping haircut well, so it is often used by landscape designers. The tree tolerates atmospheric pollution and cleans the air well from exhaust gases and dust.
Flowering begins at the end of March and continues until May. On the side branches you can see bright yellow spikelets. Pollen that falls on the needles changes its shade to a dirty greenish.
Cypress aroma does not tolerate moths and woodworms, but the smell is considered healing for humans. In people suffering from lung pathologies, when inhaling the smell of cypress needles, an improvement is noted.
Evergreen cypress essential oil has bactericidal properties that can suppress the development of staphylococcus aureus, tuberculosis and other pathogens.
Cones have astringent properties, so decoctions of them are prescribed for bleeding. And baths with decoction are used for problems with the joints.
Cypress pyramidal in landscape design
The pyramidal cypress (pictured) has a beautiful crown shape, tolerates pruning well, therefore it is used for landscaping house territories, parks, squares, alleys and even highways. Air pollution does not harm the evergreen conifer.
Pyramidal cypress is often used in group plantings, favorably shading other coniferous and deciduous trees and shrubs.
With a dense planting, the pyramidal cypress closes into a hedge. Group plantings are used to decorate the walls of buildings or fences.
Planting and caring for pyramidal cypress
Evergreen cypress belongs to light-loving plants, but for planting it is better to choose a place with periodic shading, otherwise the color of the needles may change, and the plant will lose its decorative effect. Proper site selection and site preparation will help the tree acclimate.
Seedling and planting preparation
The soil for planting cypresses should be light, sandy or sandy loam. Clay soil can lead to stagnant water and root rot. It is advisable to dig up the area before planting. This will help get rid of weeds and saturate the soil with oxygen. In the process of digging, you can add humus.
It is better to purchase a seedling with a closed root system. The pyramidal cypress does not respond well to damage to the root system, so when transplanting, you should be careful not to harm the seedling.
If the tree is purchased with bare roots, it is immersed for several hours in warm water or a solution that improves root growth.
Rules of landing
It should be noted that evergreen pyramidal cypress is a drought-resistant tree, so it is important for it to have drainage in the hole. Expanded clay or gravel is poured into the bottom of the excavated landing pit; broken brick and a layer of sand can be used.
The distance between adjacent trees depends on the required planting density. For large-sized plants, it is advisable to leave at least 2-2,5 m between seedlings, so that with age they do not shade each other and do not interfere with air circulation around the crown.
The size of the landing hole depends on the earthy coma on the roots. Approximate dimensions of the pit: diameter – 80-90 cm, depth – 60-70 cm.
On top of the drainage layer, a nutrient soil mixture is poured, consisting of the topsoil and coniferous soil. You can use another composition:
- peat – 1 part;
- sod land – 1 part;
- leafy earth – 2 parts;
- river sand – 1 part.
The components are mixed and poured into the well. A support peg is driven in, then the seedling is set vertically and covered with the remaining soil mixture, carefully tamping each layer and watering it with warm water.
After planting, the tree is tied with soft ropes to the support post. This will protect the barrel from breakage during windy weather.
Watering and top dressing
Seedlings need regular soil moisture, but excessive watering is unacceptable. Mature trees can not be watered, they have enough seasonal rainfall. During the dry period, it is allowed to carry out 2-3 waterings per season.
Water the seedlings with warm water, preferably in the evening after sunset or early in the morning. In the daytime, watering seedlings is not recommended, because this leads to rapid evaporation of moisture.
To avoid yellowing of the needles, you can periodically spray the crown of young seedlings. Once every 1 days, epin can be added to the water for spraying. For 14 liters of water, 10 mg of the drug is required.
Cypress does not need to be fed, but if the seedling is sick, you can try to feed it with special formulations containing magnesium. Organic feeding of cypress can be harmful, so it is better to refuse the use of mullein (manure).
Trimming
Formative pruning is best done in early spring, so the plants will better tolerate the intervention. Shoots are cut no more than 1/3.
Broken branches can be pruned in autumn or spring. Sanitary pruning involves pruning damaged, frozen and diseased branches.
Preparation for winter
Preparatory measures are to mulch the trunk circle. Peat, sawdust, foliage or chopped needles are used as mulch.
Young trees need reliable crown cover. They are covered with burlap or agrofibre, and rewound with soft twine to avoid breaking branches from snow.
Reproduction
Cypress evergreen pyramidal can be propagated in several ways: using seeds or cuttings.
Propagation by seeds is long, so they often resort to cuttings. It is advisable to use several cuttings for rooting at once, since the probability of rooting one cutting is low. For the rapid appearance of roots, it is recommended to use special compounds – growth accelerators.
Diseases and pests
Cypress evergreen pyramidal is characterized by increased resistance to diseases and pests. Its wood contains a lot of fungicides that prevent the development of spores and fungi, the aroma of needles repels most insects.
Yellowing foliage most often indicates improper care. With very dry air, the crown begins to turn yellow, spraying is required. Yellowing may be due to increased calcium content in the soil.
If the needles dry and crumble, it means that the site for planting is not chosen correctly. Excessive ultraviolet light can cause the needles to dry out. It is advisable to transplant the tree in partial shade.
Of insect pests on cypress, you can find scale insects and spider mites. To combat them, they use Aktellik, Aktara, Karbofos.
Conclusion
Pyramidal cypress is a tall tree used for landscaping adjoining territories, parks, squares, and playgrounds. The seedling can be grown at home or purchased from a nursery.
