The columnar cypress - also known as the Mediterranean or Tuscan cypress due to its origin - is a very slender, upright growing tree that is also often planted as a hedge or as a solitaire in our latitudes. However, Cupressus sempervirens, as it is scientifically named, is only partially hardy and is also quite tricky to care for.
How do I properly care for a columnar cypress?
The care of columnar cypresses includes sufficient watering without waterlogging, fertilizing for the first time after the first year of growth, annual pruning to avoid baldness and regular checks for pests. Pay attention to limited winter hardiness and adapt winter protection.
How much water do columnar cypress trees need?
It is particularly complicated to supply the columnar cypress with sufficient water. The evergreen conifer tree cannot tolerate wetness or constant moisture or dryness - finding the right middle ground is sometimes not that easy. In rather damp locations, columnar cypresses also need a drainage layer in the garden, for example made of coarse gravel, but in rather dry places they should be watered from time to time, even in winter.
Do you have to fertilize columnar cypresses?
You do not need to fertilize the plant in the first year, but after that it is recommended to give long-term fertilizer (€33.00 on Amazon) every year in late spring or, alternatively, to regularly administer conifer fertilizer. Blue grain (twice a year in spring and summer) and horn shavings are also very suitable for providing nutrients.
When and how should you prune columnar cypresses?
Columnar cypresses naturally strive for their slender, columnar growth, so pruning is basically not necessary. However, annual pruning makes sense to prevent baldness. However, the trees are very tolerant of pruning, so regular shape and pruning is not a problem.
What signs of disease should you look out for in columnar cypresses?
Pillar cypresses are primarily attacked by bark beetles, leaf miners, tree lice (which refers to various types of specialized aphids), mealybugs and other pests. Check the plants regularly for signs and take countermeasures in a timely manner. You should prefer the use of biological agents over chemical ones.
What to do if the columnar cypress sheds its needles or they turn brown?
Brown spots often form due to lack of water and do not go away again. In such a case, the only thing that helps is pruning so that the plant can sprout again. If the needles are brown, adding Epsom s alt often helps.
Are columnar cypresses hardy?
Columnar cypresses are only partially hardy and therefore cannot be planted in regions with harsh winters or require excellent winter protection there.
Tip
Alternatively, the Mediterranean plants can also be cultivated in large containers, but in this case they require regular care. Above all, the substrate must neither be too dry nor permanently moist.