The Mediterranean cypress, also aptly called columnar cypress, is an evergreen tree that can be found as an ornamental wood in many gardens and parks. In the Mediterranean region in particular, long rows of Mediterranean cypress trees line the avenues and streets. The tree reaches heights of up to 6m after about 10 years. Fully grown splendid specimens stretch up to 35 m towards the sky, with a breast diameter of 1 m. The rather undemanding conifer is just as popular as a solitary plant as it is as a hedge. In adulthood, the Mediterranean cypress is even hardy to -20 ° Celsius.
Table of Contents
Planting columnar cypress
The best time to plant the columnar cypress is in early spring, once the frost has cleared the ground. The hobby gardener gives the tree enough time to form strong roots and store water by winter. The ideal location for the Mediterranean cypress is sunny to partially shaded.
Substrate
The optimal potting soil is clayey and not too moist. The Mediterranean cypress also grows quickly in limestone and marl soils. Before planting the tree, it is advisable to do a soil test. If the pH value is 5-6, nothing speaks against the choice of location. If you plan to plant several of these trees next to each other, the distance between them should be 80 cm to 100 cm. Since the columnar cypress doesn’t mind heat as long as the soil is moist, experts advise covering the soil with a layer of bark mulch after planting. Then even the wind has no chance to dry out the earth and remove the vital moisture from the cypress. The following tips will help to properly plant the columnar cypress:
- Mark the planting hole at the selected location
- the hole is twice the size of the root ball
- Dig the planting hole
- Loosen the bottom of the hole with the rake
- insert a thin layer of drainage
- Mix the excavated earth with compost
- add a few handfuls of horn shavings
- if necessary, knock a support post into the ground
- Place the tree in the planting hole
- Fill in the soil and step carefully
- Connect tree and support post with coconut rope
- water the tree well
- Cover the planting area with bark mulch
If you want to give the young column cypress more stability with the help of a support pole, you should make sure that both parts are straight and that the tree is not pulled diagonally by tying it up. The recommended drainage layer serves to prevent waterlogging. It can consist of gravel, granules or potsherds.
Care of the Mediterranean cypress
There are only a few instructions to be observed for the correct care of the column cypress; however, these are crucial for healthy and splendid growth:
- water well regularly;
- provide enough water even in winter;
- do not fertilize in the first year;
- an application of slow release fertilizer in May is sufficient;
- the fertilizer is worked in with the rake;
- alternatively apply conifer fertilizer every 14 days;
- use Epsom salt on brown needles;
- regularly check for diseases and pests.
If the columnar cypress is first used in the bucket, care must also be taken in this case that it receives sufficient water without waterlogging. As soon as the tree has reached a height of 1 m, it can be planted outdoors.
To cut
The Mediterranean cypress develops its columnar growth form by nature. Since it can take a cut without any problems, the hobby gardener can give it an individual shape. This is especially advisable if the trees are to form a hedge. There is nothing to be said against a regular cut back or shaped cut in spring or autumn. Cutting supports healthy growth and at the same time prevents the branches from becoming bald from the inside. On this occasion, dried out areas are also removed.
The weather should be warm, dry and cloudy. Ideally, the hobby gardener should start cutting in the early hours of the morning, because this is when the risk of the sun drying out the cut is lowest. The columnar cypress is only trimmed over the branches and not over the trunk. The natural growth form of this tree is retained. If possible, do not cut the tip of the cypress, if possible cut it carefully. The work begins with the hedge trimmer and is fine-tuned with the grass shears. Should a radical cut ever be necessary, it is better to carry it out over several growing seasons.
Diseases and pests
Careful maintenance includes regular checks on the Mediterranean cypress for disease and pests. The following problems can occur:
Bark beetles
The infestation with bark beetles can be seen when drilling dust appears on the trees from April onwards. After the beetles are frozen in winter, which lasts from November to March, brood development begins at a temperature of 10 ° Celsius. If the natural enemies of the bark beetle, such as parasitic wasps or woodpeckers, are insufficient, the removal of the bark can be considered, especially with young cypress trees. If the infestation cannot be controlled in this way, the trees can only be felled and disposed of as far away as possible. The use of attractant traps is seen as problematic, because in this way a concentration of bark beetles can be triggered, which makes the drama even worse. Insecticides for use in private gardens are not allowed.
Tree lice
These pests belong to the aphid family. They come in different colors, from black to green to gray and suck the cell sap from the trees. If tree lice appear, quick action is required.
Various biological control methods have meanwhile proven themselves. The ear pince-nez is a natural enemy of tree lice. Anyone who offers him a shelter in the form of a flower pot filled with wood wool invites the useful little animals to linger. At night they go out and hunt the tree lice.
Spraying the column cypress with a soft soap solution is helpful. For this, 1 liter of water is mixed with a tablespoon of pure potash soap and a tablespoon of alcohol and sprayed on the infested tree. Good experiences have been recorded with the use of tobacco manure. Some tobacco leaves are soaked in water, strained after a few days, and sprayed on the tree. If a columnar cypress is sprayed with neem oil, the aphids literally lose their appetite and they leave the tree alone from now on.
Leaf miner
If the Mediterranean cypress begins to discolour, it is not uncommon for the leaf miner to be to blame. This pest resembles a small butterfly, has a long proboscis and long antennae. The leaf miner does not kill the columnar cypress, but it weakens it so much that it becomes susceptible to other diseases and pests. The biological remedy for the leaf miner is parasitic wasps, which can be purchased in specialist shops. These devour the larvae of the pest. What is seen as problematic when infested with bark beetles can be the rescue in the fight against the leaf miner, namely the attractant trap. A vessel filled with water and washing-up liquid is hung on the tree, the moths fly into it and drown.
Cypress cancer
As the name suggests, it is a very serious disease of the Mediterranean cypress that is triggered by a fungal attack. At first the branches turn yellow and red; then they dry up. In a later phase, other symptoms such as discoloration and cracking of the bark show up. The fungus spreads preferentially through wind and rain, whereby wounds on the trees are particularly at risk. Affected parts of the columnar cypress are removed immediately and the cuts are treated with benzimidazoles. The subsequent disinfection of all equipment with alcohol is very important.
Overwinter
The column cypress is extremely robust and can withstand frosty temperatures down to -20 ° Celsius, especially in adulthood; nevertheless, caution is advised. Not all varieties of the Mediterranean cypress can take a long, frosty winter without harm.
The forward-looking hobby gardener therefore provides winter protection in the form of jute or cotton sacks that are put over the trees or wrapped around them, especially if they are between 1 and 5 years old. Foil is not suitable as winter protection because the plant can then hardly breathe.
In contrast to many other plants in the garden, the Mediterranean cypress needs enough water even in winter. It is best watered during frost-free periods. The importance of the water supply of the columnar cypress all year round cannot be emphasized enough, because an undersupply not only causes ugly discoloration, but also opens the door to diseases and fungi.
Young Mediterranean cypresses, which spend the first few years of their existence in pots, are best placed in a frost-free room during winter. In this form of wintering, watering should not be forgotten either. Ensure that the room is well ventilated so that no mold or fungal attack can spread.
Propagation by seeds and cuttings
If you want to multiply the Mediterranean cypress, the choice is yours. The sowing of fresh seeds promises just as good success as the propagation with cuttings.
The best time to grow the cuttings is the winter half of the year, because then the offshoots in question are sufficiently mature. Good potting soil is poor in nutrients, well-drained and germ-free. Sterilization is very easy in the home oven at 200 ° or in the microwave. The side shoots are not cut off, but torn off. This has the advantage that there are still wood residues on the cutting that accelerate the process of rooting. The leaves are cut in half so that the cutting does not put its energy into supplying them, but into root growth. The cultivation vessel with the cutting is either placed in a small greenhouse or covered with a plastic bag in order to maintain sufficient humidity. Then you have to wait patiently for the roots to form, which can take several weeks. Every now and then it is ventilated briefly so that no mold can form.
When propagating by seeds, these are put about 1 cm deep into the potting soil and also kept moist and warm until they germinate and can be pricked out.
Conclusion
The evergreen Mediterranean cypress is enjoying increasing popularity in German gardens. This is hardly surprising in view of the undemanding care. If the location and the nature of the soil are correct, the slender tree basically only needs enough water to develop its full beauty. Young Mediterranean cypresses can also be cultivated in pots and are an attractive decoration of the terrace and balcony. If you want, you can cut the column cypress to whatever you want. Therefore, the many front gardens can be admired small works of art, cut from column cypresses. By nature, it stretches straight up into the sky and after 10 years already reaches heights of 6 meters and more. In older specimens, heights of up to 35 meters have been measured.
