True cypress trees are often referred to as lemon cypress trees. They earned this name because the needles give off an aromatic lemon scent when crushed with your fingers. With proper care, lemon cypress trees can live for many years.
How do you properly care for a lemon cypress?
Lemon cypress care includes: regular watering when the top two centimeters of the substrate is dry, slow-release fertilizer for garden plants or liquid fertilizer for potted plants, occasional cutting for a desired shape, repotting every two years and frost-free overwintering at five up to ten degrees Celsius.
Can the lemon cypress also be cared for in a pot?
Lemon cypresses can also be cared for in a pot on the balcony or terrace. They are even suitable as houseplants. They just need to be kept significantly cooler in winter.
How to water the lemon cypress?
The plant must neither dry out nor stand directly in water. Plant them in a pot with a drainage hole or place them in a spot in the garden where the soil is well-drained.
Water the lemon cypress when the surface of the plant substrate has dried to a depth of about two centimeters.
When does the lemon cypress need to be fertilized?
When planting, you should ensure sufficient nutrients by improving the soil in the garden with manure, compost or horn shavings. Fertilize once a year with slow-release fertilizer (€33.00 on Amazon).
Lemon cypress in a pot needs more fertilizer. Liquid fertilizer for conifers is well suited for this, adding it to the irrigation water at intervals of two to three weeks.
Is cutting necessary?
Basically, you can just let the lemon cypress grow if you have enough space. Otherwise, cut them back in spring or from August. Don't cut into the old wood.
When does the cypress in the pot need to be repotted?
Repotting is scheduled every two years. The best time is spring, when the cypress is removed from its winter quarters.
What diseases and pests can occur?
- Fungal diseases
- Leaf miners
- mealybugs
Fungal diseases occur when the plant is too moist or too wet. Pests do not pose a major threat as the essential oils drive away unwanted visitors.
How is the lemon cypress overwintered?
The lemon cypress does not tolerate frost for long periods of time. In the open field, protect them with a layer of mulch and covering them with burlap.
Place potted lemon cypress trees over the winter in a place where temperatures are between five and ten degrees.
Tip
Lemon cypresses create a real Mediterranean feeling on the terrace and balcony. When the wind blows over the leaves, the needles exude a pleasant scent of lemon.
