Tag: cupressus arizonica fastigiata

The Latin name for the Blue Arizona Cypress tree is Cupressus arizonica. C. Arizonica is an evergreen, coniferous tree with ovoid, scaly gray-green to blue-green leaves two to five millimeters in length. Moderate in height, the tree between 10m and 25m (33′-82′).

Growing as tall as it does, the Blue Cypress is perfect for growing in rows at the perimeter of a property to act as a screen and provide a measure of privacy. It is not uncommon for it to be used in this way. It may also be grown in containers to restrict its growth and prune into creative forms such as spirals or pom poms. It may also be trained into whimsical shapes like small animals. This is called topiary.

The oblong-shaped cones of Cupressus arizonica change in color from green to brown-gray when they mature. This takes place two years after pollination during the months of February and March of each year. The cones remain tightly closed unless opened by the stimulus of a fire. Opening of the cones allows seeds to be dispersed to foster new growth on the bare ground.

The blue cypress is simple to grow. Tolerant of a soil pH between neutral and mildly alkaline (pH 7 to pH 8.5), it grows best in low fertile soils. Among the soils in which it thrives are sandy, clay, loamy, silty and various combinations of those soil types.

The blue cypress is reasonably tolerant of arid conditions. It needs a moderate amount of water. To grow properly, it needs an environment of fewer than 205 frosty days a year.

This variant of cypress tree is not particular about its location in the garden landscape, although it does seem to dislike thin, chalky soils or soggy conditions. It is more columnar in shape than its Italian cousin, Cupressus sempivirens, and therefore hardier. As the tree gets older, it should be tied into place if it is to thrive in the harsh conditions of winter time.

The blue Arizona cypress tree is native to the southwestern states in America (New Mexico, California, Texas and Arizona) as well as parts of Mexico (Coahuila, Zacatecus, Chihuahua, Tamaulpas, Baja and Durango). In the wild, it grows in small clusters as opposed to dense forests. It does grow alongside pine trees and oak trees, for example, in the San Pedro Martir forest, where it is found with California Fan Palm and Canyon Live Oak trees.

Cupressus arizonica has been observed in the Animus and San Luis Mountain ranges. The San Luis range hugs the border between Mexico and Arizona at low elevations. Trending northwest to southeast, the range is between eight and ten miles long. These mountains are on the border of the Buenos Aires Wildlife Refuge about five miles away from Arivaca Lake. The Animas Mountains are located in the ‘Boot Heel’ of the American State of New Mexico in Hidalgo County. They run north-south along a hydrological feature known internationally as the Continental, or Great, Divide. This separates the feeds from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

The Latin name for the Arizona Blue Cypress tree is Cupressus arizonica fastigiata. It is an evergreen, coniferous tree that grows up to between 33 and 88 feet (10 to 25 meters). This is considered medium height. Its scale-like leaves range in color from dull gray-green to a vibrant blue-green. The leaves are between 2 and 5 mm in length.

The heights reached by C. Arizonica lend it well to growing several specimens in a row to provide a screen of privacy between neighbors. This is a common arrangement in many gardens. It can also be grown in containers to restrain its growth and prune into creative topiary shapes. It is not uncommon to see the Arizona Cypress tree grown in the shape of pom poms (spheres) or spiral shapes. It has also taken the form of small animals such as the rabbit.

The oblong cones of C. Arizonica mature from a bright green to a brownish-gray within two years of pollination. This takes place during February and March. The cones do not open unless they are exposed to fire. Opening under this stimulus, seeds are dispersed on the bare ground cleared by the fire. This allows the trees to re-colonize.

The Arizona cypress is simple to grow. It tolerates a neutral to alkaline pH (7 to 8.5). It grows best in soil conditions of low fertility. The substrates in which it is able to grow include sand, sandy loam, loamy sand, clay, silty clay, sandy clay, clay loam, sandy clay loam, silty loam, sandy clay loam and silty clay loam.

C. Arizonicus fastigiata is moderately tolerant to drought conditions. It needs a moderate amount of water. It needs at least 160 days a year that are free from frost.

The blue cypress grows well in any area of the garden. It prefers soil that is not wet or thin and chalky. It is hardier than its cousin, C. Sempivirens. Tying older specimens in place to retain their columnar shape helps them to resist damage from the harsh conditions of winter.

The blue cypress is native to parts of Mexico (Zacatecus, Coahuila, Tamaulpas, Chihuahua, Durango and Baja California) and southwestern America (Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and California). It grows near California Fan Palm and the Canyon Live Oak in the San Pedro Martir forests of pine and oak trees.

Cupressus arizonica has been found in the San Louis Mountains, at low elevations on the border between Mexico and Arizona. The mountains trend northwest to southeast for eight to ten miles. The San Luis Mountains border the Buenos Aires Wildlife Refuge near Arivaca Lake. The blue cypress is also found in the Animas Mountains, a small range in the ‘Boot Heel’ area of New Mexico in Hidalgo County. These mountains run in a north-south orientation along the Great Divide (also called the Continental Divide). The Great Divide is a physical, hydrological divide that intervenes between the watersheds draining into the Pacific Ocean from those that drain into the Pacific Ocean. This feature is prominent among other similar divides because it follows the line of high peaks in the Rocky Mountain and Andes Mountain ranges.

Cupressus arizonica fastigiata is the Latin name for the Blue Arizona Cypress tree. This coniferous evergreen tree grows 10 to 25 meters (33 to 82 feet), which is considered medium in height. It has scale-like leaves that are between two and five millimeters long. The foliage ranges in color from dull gray-green to a bright blue-green.

The height of this Cypress tree makes it ideal for growing in rows of several plants to provide a privacy screen. It is very commonly used for this purpose. Grown in containers, it lends itself well to creative pruning to create topiary shapes. Popular shapes are a spiral or a series of balls or pom poms. It has also been pruned into animal shapes such as a rabbit.

C. Arizonica’s oblong cones mature from green to brownish-gray around two years after they have been pollinated during the months of February and March. They do not open unless the parent tree is killed in a fire. Once opened under this stimulus, seeds are dispersed into the bare ground, thus allowing the plant to re-colonize.

Fastigata is easy to grow. It tolerates a range of different soils from neutral (pH 7) to slightly alkaline (pH 8.5). It thrives in loam, silt, sand, clay, silty clay, sandy clay, clay loam, sandy loam, silty loam, loamy sand, sandy loam, sandy clay loam and silty clay loam. It seems to prefer soil conditions that are low in fertility.

The cypress tree’s tolerance to drought is moderate. It requires moderate amounts of water. In order to grow successfully, fastigiata requires at least 160 frost-free days a year.

Your Cupressus arizonicus is not fussy about where in the garden it is located. It does not like particularly wet conditions or thin, chalky soils. Older specimens resist winter damage more successfully if tied in place to retain their columnar shape. More columnar in shape than its Italian relative C. Sempivirens, it is also hardier.

The Arizona cypress is native to the southwestern United States (California, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas) and Mexico (Baja California, Durango, Chihuahua, Tamaulpas, Coahuila and Zacatecus). In the wild, it tends to grow in isolated clusters rather than in dense forests. In the pine-oaks forests of San Pedro Martir, Mexico, it grows alongside Canyon Live Oak and California Fan Palm.

The presence of Cupressus arizonica has been noted in the Animus Mountains and in the San Luis Mountains. The San Luis Mountains are a low elevation range on the Arizona-Mexico border. They trend southeast-northwest and run about eight or ten miles in length. The San Luis Mountains border the Buenos Aires Wildlife Refuge. Arivaca Lake lies five miles away. The Animas Mountains are a small range in Hidalgo County, New Mexico, in the so-called ‘boot heel’ region of the state. They run north to south along the Continental Divide, a hydrological divide separating the watersheds that drain into the Atlantic Ocean from those that feed into the Pacific. Also referred to as the Great Divide, this feature is prominent among similar structures because it follows the line of high peaks in the Andes and Rocky Mountain ranges.