Lawson Cypress: Golden Wonder, Stardust, Alumigold, White Spot

Many lovers of ornamental plants like to plant evergreen coniferous trees on their site: thuja, cypress, fir, juniper. Such crops are an excellent backdrop for flowering plants and shrubs in the warm season, and in winter they add color to the dull black and white landscape of a snowy garden. One of the most beautiful conifers often used in garden architecture is Lawson’s cypress.

This species has a large number of different varieties, due to which it is widely used in landscape design.

Description of Lavsona cypress tree

Lawson’s cypress is native to California, North America. Found on mountain slopes, in river valleys. The main characteristics of Lawson’s cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana) are given in the table.

The height of Lawson’s cypress

The height of Lawson’s cypress directly depends on the place of its growth. Under natural conditions in their homeland, in California and Oregon, trees often reach a height of 70-75 m. In our country, this plant can reach a height of no more than 20 m. A significant part of the cultivated varieties is much lower. Decorative forms of Lawson’s cypress grow no more than 2-3 m.

Winter hardiness of Lawson’s cypress

Lawson’s cypress does not tolerate cold very well, so in Our Country it can only be grown in the southernmost regions. These trees are sensitive not only to the ambient temperature, but also to the climate in general. In addition, plants need good care.

Lawson’s cypress in landscape design

Due to its beautiful appearance and plastic shape of the crown, Lawson’s cypress is often used in landscape design. Usually it is formed in the form of geometric shapes:

• cone;
• pyramids;
• spheres.

You can use them both in single plantings and in groups, for example, to decorate an alley with a row of columns of trees. Often Lawson’s cypress is used to form hedges. Dwarf varieties are great for decorating rock gardens. Pleasant green, yellow, blue and dove colors of Lawson’s cypress needles are an excellent backdrop for flowering plants and bushes.

Lavsona cypress variety

Lawson’s cypress (Chamaecyparis Lawsoniana) has quite a few varieties. They differ from each other in size, shape of the crown, color of the needles. The most popular varieties of Lawson’s cypress and their description are presented below.

Lawson Cypress Stardust

Lawson’s cypress Stradast (Chamaecyparislawsoniana Stardust) is a selection product of British scientists. Released in 1900. It is a straight evergreen coniferous tree with a dense pyramidal crown. By the age of 10, its height can reach 2 m, an adult tree grows up to 8-10 m. The growth rate is 20-25 cm per year. The color of the needles is yellow-green, with a golden hue, the tips of the scales are often colored brown.

Planting and caring for Lawson Stardust cypress (pictured) are simple. It can be grown outdoors in the southern regions of Our Country. Frost resistance is average. Prefers acidic soils with a pH of 5 to 7, fertile, moderately moist and well drained. It is widely used in rock gardens, mixborders, can be grown in containers for installation indoors, on terraces, galleries, in the halls of buildings.

Cypress Lavson Alumigold

Lawson’s cypress Alumigold (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Alumigold) is an evergreen coniferous tree, reaching a height of about 10 m by the age of 3. The shape of the crown is correct, cone-shaped. The branches are straight, the young scales are yellowish, later turning into a bluish-gray color.

Frost resistance is average. In open ground it can be grown only in the southern regions of Our Country. It grows well on moderately moist fertile soils and loams. Can grow on calcareous soil. Does not tolerate drought well. Resistant to gas pollution, can be used for landscaping streets and industrial areas.

Lawson’s cypress Alumigold is planted for decorative purposes both in a group for decorating alleys, paths, creating hedges, and singly.

Lawson Cypress Golden Wonder

Lawson’s cypress Golden Wonder (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Golden Wonder) appeared in 1963 as a result of the work of Dutch breeders. This is an evergreen coniferous tree with a crown shape in the form of a wide cone formed by fan-shaped growing branches. The top and ends of the shoots, as a rule, hang down. By the age of 10, the tree reaches a height of 2 m. The needles are scaly, greenish-yellow with a golden sheen.

Frost resistance is weak, it can be grown only with shelter for the winter. The composition of the soil is undemanding, but it grows better on loamy or fertile lands with a sufficient level of moisture.

Lawson Cypress White Spot

Lawson White Spot Cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana White Spot) is an ornamental evergreen coniferous tree. Sometimes grown as a shrub. The shape of the crown is narrow, columnar, the branches grow strictly upwards. Green scales with white tips. Reaches a height of 10 to 5 m by 10 years.

It is frost-resistant, in the southern regions of Our Country it can be grown in open ground without shelter for the winter. It grows well on fertile soils, loams, can grow on calcareous soils with a sufficient level of moisture. Does not tolerate drought well.

Lawson Cypress Elwoodi

Lawson’s cypress Elwoodi (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Ellwoodii) was bred in 1929 in England. This is a slow growing variety, rarely reaching 10 m in height by 1,5 years. The shape of the crown is columnar, in the form of a wide cone. The needles are thin, dark blue-blue or blue-steel.

Winter hardiness is rather weak, it is recommended to cover the plant for the winter even when growing it in the southern regions of Our Country. Prefers moderately moist light soils, fertile or loamy, with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction. Can grow in alkaline soils. In landscape design, it is used to design flower beds, alleys, paths, single or group plantings, to create hedges.

Cypress Lavsona columnaris

Lawson Cypress Columnaris (Chamaecyparislawsoniana Columnaris) is an erect coniferous evergreen tree. By the age of 10, it reaches a height of 3-4 m. The crown is narrow, columnar. It is formed by thin frequent vertically growing branches. The scales are light blue, appressed.

Frost resistance is good, one of the highest for Lawson cypress. In the southern regions of Our Country it can be grown without shelter for the winter. It is undemanding to the composition of the soil, prefers loose fertile and loamy soils, but can also grow on calcareous soils. Requires constant soil moisture, does not tolerate drought well. In landscape design, it is traditionally used for hedges, but it can also be planted individually.

Cypress tree Lavsona Yvonna

Lawson Yvonne cypress (Chamaecyparislawsoniana Ivonne) is an evergreen coniferous tree that grows up to 2,5 m by 10 years. The shape of the crown is correct conical, the branches are straight, fan-shaped growing. The needles are scaly, golden or yellow, becoming light green in the shade.

Frost resistance is quite high, in the south of Our Country it can be grown without shelter for the winter. Prefers light fertile soils, moderately moist. Sensitive to overgrowth and turfing of the trunk circle, requires loosening. In landscape design, it is usually used as a color element in collective plantings.

Cypress Lavson MinimGlauk

Lawson’s Cypress Minim Glauca (Chamaecyparis lawsonianaminimaglauca) is a compact coniferous tree. By the age of 10, it reaches a height of 1,5 m. The shape of the crown is wide, rounded. The branches are thin, twisted. The needles are scaly, small, blue or bluish-green, matte.

Frost resistance is good, however, cultivation requires a place protected from the north wind. Soils are preferably loose, fertile or loamy with a sufficient level of moisture. Does not tolerate drought. Planted individually and in groups.

Lawson Cypress Snow White

Lawson Snow White Cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Snow White), or, as it is also called, Snow White, is a low coniferous tree, more like a shrub. It grows up to 1-1,2 m. The crown is dense, oval or wide-oval. The needles are dense, scaly, of various colors. Young needles at the ends of the shoots are bright green, closer to the middle a bluish tint appears in color, and silver at the base.

Winter hardiness is good, it can be grown in the south of Our Country, it needs shelter for the winter only in the first year after planting. The composition of the soil is undemanding with a sufficient amount of moisture. It is grown both in open ground and in pots and containers. Lawson Cypress Snow White is used for landscaping rockeries, alpine slides, Japanese-style gardens. Can be used to create hedges.

Cypress Lavson Veseli

Lawson’s cypress Wisselii (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Wisselii) was bred in Holland relatively recently, in 1983. It is a fairly tall coniferous tree with a narrow crown in the shape of a column. The needles are scaly, dark green with a bluish or silvery tint.

The frost resistance of the variety is sufficient to grow it in the south of Our Country without shelter for the winter. Prefers neutral or slightly acidic soils with a pH level of 5-7, does not tolerate calcareous soils. Requires moderate moisture. It is planted to decorate alleys, paths, as part of compositions. Can be grown in containers.

Lawson Cypress Mini Globe

Lawson Cypress Mini Globe (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana MiniGlobus) is an evergreen coniferous tree that looks more like a shrub with a spherical crown. It belongs to dwarf plants, by the age of 10 it reaches a height of 1 m. The needles are small, scaly, green in young plants, becoming bluish in older specimens.

Frost resistance is good, but the first years of life, seedlings must be covered for the winter. Prefers moderately moist loose fertile soils and loams with a pH level of 5-8. Will not grow on calcareous soils. It is used in landscape design both in individual and group plantings.

Cypress Lawson Pelts Blue

Lawson Cypress Pelt’s Blue (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Pelt’s Blue) is a columnar coniferous tree. The shape of the crown is cone-shaped, correct. The height of the tree by 10 years can be 3 m. The needles are tightly pressed to the branches, of a bluish-steel color.

The plant is hardy enough to be grown in southern areas without shelter for the winter. Prefers fertile and loamy soils, well moistened, with an acidity of 5-6,5. It usually does not grow on calcareous soils. Can be used in landscape design as design elements of rock gardens, flower beds, alleys.

Lavsona Globosa cypress tree

Lawson Globosa cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Globosa) is a low shrub-type coniferous tree. Its height by the age of 10 can be 1 m. The shape of the crown is rounded. The needles are green, shiny, with white stripes.

Frost resistance is low. Without shelter for the winter, it can only be grown in the south. Prefers neutral and slightly acidic soils with a moderate level of humidity. Does not grow on calcareous soils. Used as an element of garden design, as part of hedges. Grows well in containers.

Lawson Cypress Cream Glow

Lawson Cypress Cream Glow (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Cream Glow) is a fairly compact coniferous tree with a pyramidal crown shape. Its height by 10 years does not exceed 2 m. The branches are dense, growing upwards. The needles are small, scaly, light green with a golden sheen.

It has good resistance to freezing, in the southern regions it can be grown without shelter. It is recommended to plant this variety on drained, moderately moist soils that have a neutral or slightly acidic reaction. It is used as a separate decorative element, as well as in group plantings. Can be grown in containers.

Lawsona Cypress Imbricata Pendula

Lawson’s cypress Imbricata Pendula (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Imbricata Pendula) is an original variety of evergreen coniferous tree, characterized by characteristic hanging “weeping” shoots. By the age of 10, it reaches a height of 2 m. The crown is loose, the needles are small, green, glossy.

Winter hardiness is average, in the first years after planting, it is recommended to cover the seedlings for the winter even in the southern regions. Grows well in fertile, moist soils with a pH of 5-6,5. Can be used for both individual and group plantings.

Lawson Cypress Sunkist

Lawson’s cypress Sunkist (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Sunkist) is a small shrub-type coniferous tree. Reaches a height of 1,5-1,8 m. The crown is wide, conical or hemispherical. The needles are dense, dark green, closer to the periphery acquires a golden hue.

Winter hardiness is good, as a rule, only young shoots freeze slightly. It is recommended to grow on moderately moist, neutral and slightly acidic soils. Can grow on calcareous soils. It tolerates drought well. It is planted for decorating rock gardens, Japanese gardens, shores of reservoirs.

Lawson’s cypress planting rules

All varieties of Lawson’s cypress are demanding on illumination. Therefore, they should be planted in an open area with a sufficient amount of sunlight. For some species, light penumbra is allowed. In addition, most varieties of this tree prefer the following conditions for normal growth:

1. Moderately humid climate.
2. Neutral or slightly acidic fertile soil or loam.
3. Absence of cold northern winds and drafts.

Pits for the spring planting of Lawson’s cypress are prepared in advance, in the fall, taking into account the size of the root system of the future seedling. As a rule, a depth of 0,9 m and a diameter of 0,7 m is sufficient. A layer of drainage is necessarily laid out at the bottom – broken brick, large rubble or stones. In this form, the pits are left until spring.

In the spring, seedlings begin to prepare for planting. Containers are spilled with water in advance to facilitate the extraction of cypress along with a clod of earth. Plants are carefully removed and placed in planting pits so that the root neck is 10 cm above ground level. The voids are carefully covered with soil and rammed. Planting is completed by abundant watering with dissolved fertilizer (300 g of nitroammophoska per 10 liters of water). After that, the trunk circles are mulched with tree bark, needles or peat.

Caring for Lavson’s cypress

Lawson’s cypress is very sensitive to the state of the near-trunk circle; it must not be allowed to turn into turf. Therefore, it must be periodically weeded, loosened and mulched. Irrigation is important. The average water consumption per tree is 10 liters per week. Moreover, the cypress must not only be watered under the root, but also sprayed with its crown.

Growing on fertile soil, Lawson’s cypress, as a rule, does not need top dressing. If the soil is depleted, in spring and summer, fertilizing can be done using a liquid solution of complex mineral fertilizers or a special composition for conifers.

Twice a year, in early spring and autumn, it is necessary to make sanitary pruning, removing broken, damaged and dry branches frozen over the winter. Starting from the 2nd year, trees can be shaped in a certain way for a more decorative crown. This procedure is optional.

Reproduction

Lawson’s cypress can be propagated by seed or vegetatively. The first is used quite rarely due to the fact that it is long. In addition, when propagated by seeds, only species characteristics are preserved, while varietal characteristics may be lost.

To avoid this, vegetative propagation methods are used, namely:

• cuttings;
• drains.

Cuttings are harvested in spring or early summer. They are cut from young shoots 15-18 cm long. Needles are removed from their lower part and planted in a container filled with a mixture of wet sand and peat. The container is covered with a film, creating a greenhouse microclimate. Under such conditions, the cuttings take root in 1-1,5 months, after which they are planted for growing in large containers.

Layers can only be obtained from varieties with creeping shoots. One of the side branches is bent to the ground, the cambium is cut at the point of contact with the soil, then the branch is fixed with a wire clamp and covered with soil. This place is regularly moistened. From the incision, its own root system will begin to develop. In the first year, the layering should overwinter with the mother plant, and in the spring they are separated and the young shoot is planted in a new place.

Features of growing Lavson’s cypress in the Moscow region

The climate of the Moscow region is not suitable for growing Lavson’s cypress in open ground. Most lovers of ornamental plants plant these trees in flowerpots or special containers, putting them outside for the summer and putting them indoors for the winter. Compact varieties can be grown on the balcony, not forgetting the need to ensure the temperature and maintain a high level of humidity.

Diseases of Lawson’s cypress

Lavson’s cypress is sick relatively rarely. Most often this is due to a violation of care. Over watering or standing water in the roots can cause root rot. At the initial stage, you can cure the plant by removing damaged roots and treating the rest with fungicides. If the disease has passed to the aerial part, the plant can no longer be saved.

Reviews about Lavson’s cypress

Conclusion

Lawson’s cypress is a very beautiful decorative coniferous tree. It has many varieties, different in needle color, size and shape, so any lover of ornamental plants can easily choose the right one for themselves. This plant requires good care, and not in all regions it can be planted in open ground. Nevertheless, the presence of dwarf forms allows you to have it even at home and grow it in almost any region.