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Italian Cypress
Cupressus sempervirens
Functional, simple, fragrant, and noble- the Italian Cypress Tree is the complete package! Mediterranean Cypress are amazingly simple to grow and will give your landscape the look and feel of an Italian Villa.
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Italian Cypress Trees for Sale Online
Italian Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens), also known as Tuscan Cypress, Persian Cypress, and Pencil Pine, is an evergreen tree that is used for Mediterranean-style landscaping. Their tall, narrow growth habit is iconic to the Italian countryside, where you see Italian Cypress Trees in a row lining numerous roads, paths, and driveways. They are fast-growing conifers that can grow up to 2.5 feet per year and can reach up to 80 feet at maturity.
Mediterranean Cypress makes a dramatic and stately statement near entrances or lining driveways, leaving your house guests in complete awe upon arrival. Italian Cypress is most well-known for Italian Villa landscaping, but these conifer trees are very popular throughout the Southwest. When you buy an Italian Cypress Tree online, it will create year-round interest in your garden or landscaping.
History of Italian Cypress Evergreen Privacy Trees
The Italian Cypress is native to the region surrounding the Mediterranean Sea which is why it's also sometimes called Mediterranean cypress. The Italian Cypress is cultivated throughout the United States in areas with similar hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters as the Mediterranean Basin. Italian Cypress trees are most often seen in warmer parts of the country, but they can be used as far north as zone 7. It's well known for its erect branches that form a narrow column. The Italian Cypress has an extremely unique columnar form that provides a classic distinction for Mediterranean-themed landscapes. It is a tall, narrow evergreen tree with a growth habit well-suited for screening unsightly areas of the garden as well as creating framed accents in the landscape such as garden gates. Italian Cypress foliage grows in dense sprays that are rich dark green to blue-green in color. Italian Cypress are well known for being fast-growing trees that are drought tolerant but can also tolerate a wide range of soil types and moisture levels. Cupressus sempervirens can grow as tall as 40 feet so it is not best suited for planting under power lines. When using Italian Cypress as a hedge you may prune the top of the trees which will cause them to not grow taller but push their growth to the sides. This technique can also help to provide privacy faster. Italian cypress trees grow to about 5 feet wide so when planting as a windbreak or privacy hedge they should be spaced no further than 5 feet apart but we recommend 4 feet on center to create privacy faster.
| Hardiness Zone: | 7-10 |
|---|---|
| Mature Height: | 30 to 40 Feet |
| Mature Width: | 4 to 6 Feet |
| Sunlight: | Full sun |
| Foliage Color: | Blue-green |
| Growth Form: | Upright columnar |
| Soil: | Very tolerant of various soil conditions |
| Special Attributes: | Deer resistant, fire resistant, drought resistant, very long lived, narrow upright growth habit, requires little to no pruning |
How to Care for Italian Cypress
Before you buy an Italian Cypress Tree, make sure to read about the recommended care instructions that are recommended to keep this plant healthy and thriving.
How do I plant my Italian Cypress Tree?
Never plant Italian Cypress deeper than originally planted in the pot. As a rule we always say that before you mulch you should still be able to see the soil from the original pot. Planting too deep can cause rotting of the stem and death to the tree. Italian Cypress Trees are very drought tolerant, however they grow very slow without adequate water. Staking young trees is recommended to minimize the stress on the stem from winds blowing the tree. When tying trees to stakes remember the tree will continue to grow. Loosely tie the tree with several twist ties to allow for growth. Check trees every three months and loosen as needed. If this is not done, the twist tie will grow into the tree causing injury. A Pro-Tip that we can offer is to use a short length of old garden hose and run the tie wire through the hose. This will protect the trunk of the tree from being damaged by the tie wire. The one question that comes up often when talking to customers is “when is the best time to plant”? For the most part, container trees can be planted year 'round, provided the ground isn’t frozen. When planting a potted tree, remember the only water source the tree has is its small root ball, and all the water the tree uses must come from them until new roots can grow into the surrounding soil. New trees should be watered twice weekly (minimum), under hot, drier conditions possibly more. Care should be taken not to over-water. More trees die from over-watering than under.
How should I prune my Italian Cypress Tree?
Pruning is generally not needed; however, for a formal hedge start shearing when the tree reaches 5 to 6 feet in height, cutting only the sides, remove no more than 3 or 4 inches of growth at any time. This will cause the tree to grow thicker and more dense. If you want the tree to grow tall don’t cut the top leader, just shape the sides. The best time to shear is after a new growth finishes and the growth begins to harden off. Growth will go from a smooth, greasy texture, to a rougher snake skin look as it matures. Shearing once per year is sufficient but only if needed. To keep your trees at a particular height requires cutting the central leader or top and then shearing all outside growth as needed. Pruning can help make Italian Cypress more dense. It is recommended that you disinfect your shears before you begin and even after each plant to prevent disease spread. Dead or diseased limbs may be pruned at any time of the year.
When should I fertilize my Italian Cypress?
We recommend when planting your plants to use Bio-tone starter fertilizer by Espoma. We have trialed many so called “starter fertilizers” over the years and have come to rely on Bio-tone exclusively for our own use. Simply mix the recommended amount of Bio-tone into the back fill soil and water in generously when back filled. Bio-tone® Starter Plus is an all-natural plant food that is combined with a stronger concentration of beneficial bacteria along with both endo and ecto mycorrhizae. Basically the “good” fungus in Bio-tone colonizes on the growing roots of your newly planted plant and does not allow disease causing fungus to attack the new roots. It has also shown promise in stimulating the growth of the new roots which means quicker establishment for you plant. After establishment and during the following years we recommend Holly-tone used at the recommended rates. Holly-tone is also organic and slow release which will feed your trees the proper amount of nutrients over a period of time rather than all at once which can burn the root tips and actually have the opposite effect of slowing down plant growth. It also will help to naturally maintain the acid level in the soil that Italian Cypress need to thrive.
What types of soil will Italian Cypress Trees grow in?
Italian Cypress Trees grow well in a wide range of soils, ranging from all sand to pure red clay. When planting in very sandy soils, adding organic matter is always recommended to improve the soils ability to hold water and nutrients. When planting in hard clay soils, it's best to dig the hole several feet wider than the root system and fill with soft loam soil to give the young Italian Cypress tree a faster, more aggressive root system. Italian Cypress prefer well drained soils but will tolerate wet soils for short periods of time. Cypress should never be planted in soils that are excessively wet for long periods of time. Since Italian Cypress have a shallow root system, weeds and grass growing around the tree will cause the tree to grow much slower until established. Mulching will improve your growth three fold. Mulch not only stops weeds and grass, it will hold soil moisture and maintain a lower more even soil temperature, stimulating more aggressive root growth.
