Growing cypress from seeds at home: how to grow and plant seedlings? Growing cypress in a city apartment Growing cypress from seeds at home
(Cupressus) - very beautiful evergreen conifer tree Cypress family. Most species have a pyramidal crown shape. The leaves are scaly, tiled-like covering the branches.
Some types of cypress, for example, large-fruited cypress with an erect stem, graceful cypress, evergreen cypress, filamentous cypress, can be grown in room conditions. The weeping forms of Kashmiri and weeping cypress are also very beautiful. Almost all cypress trees can be grown as bonsai. IN open ground Cypress does not overwinter in our cold climate.
Most often, flower shops sell young large-fruited cypress plants. Large-fruited cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa) is an evergreen coniferous tree, in nature up to 25 m tall. Young plants have a columnar crown. With age, the branches of large-fruited cypress bend back, causing the crown to become spreading.
Several varietal forms have been bred in the culture, which are given the greatest preference for indoor growing. Large-fruited cypress can be used to grow in an upright upright or irregular upright bonsai style. In cultivated varieties of large-fruited cypress, the color of the needles is lighter, yellowish-green, or golden. Cypress needles smell like lemon.
Caring for cypress at home
The main difficulty, if you can call it that, in caring for cypress lies in winter maintenance. All conifers, and cypress is no exception, do not tolerate too high temperatures and excessively dry air. Best in winter time they feel comfortable in a cool room with a lot of light and air. But I don't think everyone's home is like this. ideal conditions, and I also know that cypress is one of the most unpretentious plants from indoor conifers. I'll tell you about the rules proper care, and along the way I will share observations of my cypress tree.
Lighting and temperature
— light-loving plant. In winter, it is better to place it on the brightest windows (or next to a window) and keep it until the budding buds begin to turn yellow from the bright spring sun. At this time (March-April), the cypress is slightly shaded or moved to another window, for example, eastern or western orientation.
If a cypress tree lacks light in winter, its crown begins to take on irregular shape: More developed branches develop on the illuminated side, and they are directed not upward, but towards the light source.
To prevent this, you need to turn the cypress pot 90° every 2 weeks.
In low light in winter and high temperature air, the cypress grows thin, long and pale branches. Or, if there is insufficient lighting, the color of the needles may be lost: if the variety has golden needles, then with a lack of light they become green.
To avoid this, you need to either lower the temperature or provide additional lighting.
In summer, cypress can be taken out Fresh air: on a balcony, terrace or even planted in open ground in the garden.
Watering and air humidity
In summer, cypress is watered abundantly. It is useful to spray its crown with water at room temperature at least once a day. In autumn, watering is slightly reduced, but the earthen lump should still always remain moist; overdrying it is unacceptable. A constant lack of moisture can lead to the death of cypress.
You need to be very careful about watering the cypress when the heating is on. If it suddenly happens that the soil in the pot is very dry, the pot with cypress must be immersed in a container of water and held until all the air bubbles have come out. After this, let the water drain and put the cypress in place.
By the way, if the room is warm, then cypress treats a slight overflow better than drying out an earthen clod. But you can’t over-water it, as powdery mildew may develop.
Water the cypress with water at room temperature. Tap water it is advisable to stand, otherwise a whitish coating from lime will appear on the branches, or use special preparations for the care of indoor plants, for example, FitoKislinka: the preparation, when added to water for spraying, eliminates lime stains on the leaves indoor plants.
You can maintain soil moisture in a pot that is favorable for cypress by spraying its surface with water between waterings; this procedure is done in conjunction with spraying the crown.
If you do not plan to plant cypress in open ground, then in the spring, in March-April, when young shoots appear at the ends of the cypress branches, it is time to transplant it into another pot or container.
It is necessary to replant cypress in the following cases:
when the earthen lump is entwined with roots so much that a continuous felt is formed from the roots; if the roots have broken through the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot; if the crown is too large and the pot may fall;
if the soil in the pot has become sour and the cypress begins to gradually wither (in this case, the transplant may be unscheduled). Most likely, the pot was too big.
The transplant can be:
- complete, when all the old soil is completely removed from the roots, such a transplant is practiced when growing bonsai;
- incomplete when part old land remains on the roots;
- transfer, when a smaller pot is completely transferred from a smaller pot without disturbing the earthen coma to a larger one; fresh soil is simply added to the edges of the pot;
- if the cypress is already large, then you can only replace the top layer (3-4 cm) of soil in the pot with fresh soil;
- sometimes, instead of replanting, you can limit yourself to applying fertilizers.
Earth mixture
Cypress requires a nutritious and permeable soil mixture. You can use an earth mixture of turf, leaf and coniferous soil with the addition of coarse sand (2:1:1:1) or turf and leaf soil and sand (4:2:1). Bonsai soil mixture is also suitable for cypress. It is useful to mix bone meal fertilizers with the soil mixture. But even in the usual earthen mixture for indoor plants, cypress grows normally, at least I did not notice any deviations in growth.
Place good drainage from old clay shards, broken red brick or expanded clay at the bottom of the container or pot. For stability (if the cypress crown is already large), you need to add sand to the bottom of the container; its layer, together with drainage, can be up to ¼ of the height of the container.
When replanting, cypress cannot be buried, so you need to make sure that the root neck of the cypress is at the same level.
Top dressing
From May to August, cypress is fed with complex mineral fertilizer for coniferous plants, or liquid mineral fertilizer for ornamental indoor plants, halving the recommended dose. She even contributed complex mineral fertilizers(ammophoska) in dry form: several granules (5 pieces) were placed on damp soil in a pot, followed by shallow loosening. The cypress reacted normally to this and reacted with rapid growth of new shoots. But I practice this feeding only during the period of active growth - in the spring, early summer, and later I limit myself to liquid feeding.
In spring and early summer, cypress is very responsive to application. organic fertilizers, such as mullein solution or bird droppings- any (pigeon, sparrow) droppings will do, literally a pinch per 1 liter of water. Stir the solution thoroughly, let it stand, you can water the cypress with it once every two weeks.
If the cypress is already large and is not replanted every year, then it is advisable to apply fertilizer during replanting; for this, it is thoroughly mixed with the earthen mixture so that nutrients distribute evenly in the ground.
Feeding is resumed no earlier than 1-1.5 months after transplantation.
Cypress tolerates pruning well, which is carried out in the spring at the beginning of active shoot growth. By trimming, you can set the desired shape of the cypress crown.
These are the miracles that can be made from cypress trees:
But if you simply pinch the upper growth point of a cypress, then, although this will restrain the growth of the cypress for some time, after a while the strongest upper side shoot becomes central and the cypress continues to grow upward. If the cypress grows too large to be kept indoors, you can cut off the top and root it.
Reproduction
Cypress propagates by seeds and cuttings.
Cypress seeds are sown in early spring wet mixture sand + peat, to a depth of 1-2 cm. Then the sowing seeds are once again moderately moistened with a spray bottle, kept under glass in a bright and warm place. After about 3-4 weeks, the seeds germinate. After another month, the cypress seedlings can be planted in separate small pots.
Cypress cuttings are cut in March-April; it is advisable to use last year's, but still green, non-lignified shoots or shoots of the current year, taken in mid-summer. Cypress cuttings are also rooted in a peat-sand mixture, kept in a bright, warm place, and maintained with high air humidity (under a bottle, in a mini-greenhouse).
IN further care for seedlings and cuttings is the same. Rooted cypress cuttings and seedlings are planted in a nutritious permeable earth mixture of turf and leaf soil and sand (4:2:1), adding a handful of crushed brick, perlite, or vermiculite. The pots should be small. A little later, when the roots have already developed, the cuttings or seedlings can be transferred to pots in July without any harm bigger size, without destroying the earthen coma and without disturbing the roots.
Diseases and pests
Cypress can be damaged by scale insects and mealybugs. In a dry and hot room, cypress is harmed by spider mites, but if high air humidity and coolness are maintained, they are not harmful.
Cypress suffers from powdery mildew due to excessive moisture.
I didn’t see any difficulties with cypress. In the summer I plant it in open ground, while it is small, I bring it back in early autumn. In winter, the cypress stands on the western window. I turn it in different directions towards the light and spray it every day. In winter, the house is, of course, warm, but the cypress did not express its displeasure in any way - even in winter it grows. I think we'll start cutting hair this year))
Image source flickr.com: Phil Pullen, BonsaiJerez, Rosita Choque, Eric Schrader, Zoran Radosavljevic, Russell Cumming, Plantas Brazal, stevieiriswattii!, Ümit AYGÜN, Mike W, jacinta lluch valero
Nowadays for lovers indoor floriculture In addition to traditional geraniums, asparagus and violets, such exotic inhabitants of window sills as cypresses have become quite accessible. Their dwarf versions perfectly decorate the interior of any apartment, introducing notes of southern romance and perfectly cleansing the atmosphere.
At the same time, experts are confident that cypress also has mass magical properties that can affect home energy. They are sure that most often this plant brings negative conditions into the home, but sometimes it also contributes to happy changes.
- Since ancient times, cypress was considered a traditional plant for the cemetery, as it was a symbol of sadness and grief. These days in southern countries The tradition of planting these trees in the churchyard has been preserved, and therefore even now they are considered sources of heavy and gloomy energy. Anyone who keeps such a pet on their windowsill runs the risk of constantly being in a state of depression and, as a result of a consistently depressed state, acquiring many unpleasant diseases.
- Esotericists are sure that cypress has a very powerful aura, and therefore, being next to a window or doorway, it prevents any energy, both negative and positive, from entering the home. On the one hand, it will protect the inhabitants of the house from damage and the evil eye, but it will also not allow them to enjoy the joys of life to the fullest.
- Our ancestors, not without reason, considered this green cemetery “resident” to be the tree of death. However, this perception has a dual interpretation. On the one hand, the cypress attracts into the house the souls of people who once died there, and their intentions are not always good and safe. On the other hand, the plant allows you to hope for communication with relatives and friends who have passed on to another world, for their support and help.
- Many superstitious gardeners attribute cypress to the large community of “husband-growing” flowers. They are sure that the presence of this tree in the house where an unmarried girl lives will very quickly turn her into an old maid. If the apartment is inhabited by a happy married couple, then the wife faces a quick divorce or even widowhood.
- Even if you decide to have a cypress tree in your house, you should not place it in the bedroom or any other room where household members sleep. It is believed that at night, this innocent-looking plant has a negative effect on your gray matter, depressing your mind. Anyone who sleeps in the same room with such an “intellectual vampire” very quickly feels its negative impact on mental abilities. Children and students begin to study worse, adults have difficulty coping with their professional responsibilities, and older people begin to suffer from sclerosis.
- Another reason to refuse to grow cypress in the house is its energy vampirism. He absorbs so intensely vitality household members that they constantly feel tired, sleep poorly and cannot cope with the simplest responsibilities. In addition, a large plant is quite capable of significantly affecting the body’s defenses, which most likely leads to the development of chronic diseases.
- Among the many negative “talents” of cypress, there is one positive ability. Such a plant will come “at home” to someone who has long experienced stagnation in life, work, creativity, and relationships with loved ones. A tree can give your existence a new stimulus, lead you to meet interesting personalities, make you look at yourself and others with unexpected side, encourage unexpected decisions. Whether the changes will be for good or for bad, signs do not tell. However, a boring reality is guaranteed to you.
Cypress is one of the representatives of evergreen coniferous plants that belong to the cypress family. Many gardeners are misled by the external resemblance of this plant to its closest relative. As a result, confusion arises, and the cypress tree may simply die due to improper care. To distinguish this plant from others, you need to know exactly what it looks like. Never seen a cypress tree? In this case, the photo will become the first assistant.
Description of cypress
It is worth noting that this plant is a light-loving plant. Its branches are flat and its fruits are small. They contain only a few seeds. The crown of the tree is usually cone-shaped, with drooping or outstretched branches. Cypress growing in nature can reach 70 meters in height. Concerning decorative varieties, then their sizes depend on the type.
Cypress (planting and care is within the power of everyone) grows well both in dark places and in full sun. If you plant this plant in a lowland where the cold is felt, this may affect its condition and growth. The soil for planting cypress should be well-drained, moist and rich. The plant does not tolerate clay and lime at all. If you comply simple rules, then you can grow a real tree. Cypress does not tolerate drought well. That is why, when growing it, it is necessary to carefully monitor the temperature and humidity in the room. If plants are planted in open ground, then a small distance of one meter should be placed between them, since they have a fairly well developed root system.
Cypress: types
At the moment, only 7 varieties of this plant are known. However, each has many varieties and decorative forms. Here are some of them.
The largest representative of this genus is the Formosan cypress. The tree can reach a height of 60 meters or more, and the trunk is often 6 meters in diameter.
Thuja cypress grows to a height of up to 25 meters. Its trunk is covered with reddish-brown bark that is conical and narrow in shape. The needles are usually dark, bluish-green.
Planting location and lighting
Indoor cypress is best planted in a small pot that can be placed on the windowsill. Since this is a light-loving plant, it is worth choosing a place for it in the southern part of the house. During the warm season, the tree should be taken outside.
Of course, cypress can also be planted in a dark place. However, over time, the plant begins to stretch and eventually loses its shape. In low light winter period The cypress needles begin to turn green. This does not apply to all types. Those plant varieties that stand out from the rest for their needle color only retain their original color. However, if there is an excess of sunlight, the cypress tree can get burned. The needles quickly begin to turn yellow and crumble. As a result, the cypress tree dries out.
In order not to ruin the plant, it is better to place it in cold period on the windowsill, placing it closer to the window. This will give the tree required amount light and a little coolness. With the onset of warm days, it is better to remove the cypress tree from the south window sill and move it to the north window. In summer, the plant can be taken out onto the balcony or into the garden. However, it is better to place it in a slightly dark place.
Watering rules
You can water only cypress trees growing outside during warm periods. Planting and care require compliance with certain rules. It is during the warm season that active growth is observed. Watering must be plentiful. This is especially important during dry periods.
To retain moisture longer, you can use mulching. Fallen pine needles or peat are ideal for this. They should be placed near the trunk of the plant. This method is very relevant in very hot weather.
If cypress is grown at home, then watering in winter should be significantly reduced, and any stagnation of water should be avoided.
What should the temperature be?
Any type of cypress needs fresh and cool air. In winter optimal temperature for this plant is from 10 to 15⁰С. IN summer time Cypress suffers greatly from the heat, so it is best to take it outside. To reduce the temperature in the room, you can resort to regular spraying of the plant.
Air humidity
Home cypress is very demanding in care. One of the main rules for its successful cultivation is sufficiently high air humidity. Otherwise, the plant will simply die. If the air in the room is very dry, the cypress tree will begin to dry out and quickly crumble. You can spray the plant several times a day. It is better to use cool, settled and soft water for these purposes. To keep the air moist longer, you can add sphagnum moss between the pots and the walls of the pot. In addition, the container with the plant can be placed on a tray with expanded clay, which must first be moistened.
There is another good method to achieve optimal conditions for cypress. To reduce the temperature and also humidify the air in summer period, you can place a little snow in the pot with the plant. Of course, getting it on hot days is not so easy. Therefore, snow can be replaced with ordinary ice, which can be found in freezer every housewife. Cypress (planting and care must be carried out on time) is a very capricious plant. If you do not maintain optimal conditions for it, it will simply die.
Is it worth feeding
Cypress trees at home must be fed. This is best done from May to August. Mineral fertilizers are ideal for feeding specifically for ornamental plants. Of course it's better to use liquid substances. As for the dosage, only half of the recommended dose should be added. You can also use fertilizer intended for bonsai for feeding.
Transplanting a plant
Cypress trees do not tolerate replanting very well at any age. Therefore, such procedures should be carried out only when necessary. At the same time, experts recommend not replanting the plant, but transferring it to a slightly larger pot. With the roots you need to move it to a new container and a lump of earth. The size of the pot in this case also matters. What container should I transfer the cypress tree into? The plant should be planted in a pot whose diameter is only a few centimeters larger than the previous one. Many people believe that a large container for cypress will be ideal. However, this is not at all true. The plant will simply not be able to cope with large volumes of soil. As a result, moisture after watering will begin to stagnate, which will lead to rotting of the roots.
Cypress planting
To grow this plant, you should use a certain soil composition. To make it, you should take one part sand, two parts leaf soil and four parts turf. To this mixture it is worth adding a little red crushed brick. The soil must be sufficiently nutritious and, of course, well-permeable to moisture. It is necessary to pour crushed red brick or expanded clay onto the bottom of the pot as drainage. After planting or replanting, the cypress tree should be placed in the shade. This will help the plant better tolerate stress. You can also spray the crown more often and use a root formation stimulator. In addition, watering should be limited. It can be resumed only after the shoots take their normal shape. It is worth feeding the plant only a month after planting or transplanting.
How does cypress reproduce?
This plant can be grown from seed. However, this is a very painstaking and long process. It is best to use layering or cuttings for propagation. This method is much more effective. In summer it is worth cutting from the tops of young shoots required quantity Cherenkov. Their length should be from 10 to 12 centimeters. The bottom of the cuttings must be freed from needles. In order for all the cut branches to take root, they should be placed in a light substrate. Containers with cuttings should be placed in a mini-greenhouse. This will allow you to maintain the necessary air humidity, as well as a certain temperature. This is how you can quickly germinate cypress. Caring for cuttings is also important. Otherwise, their root system will be very weak.
Cypress cuttings take root well in open ground. In this case, it is recommended to cover them with trimmed plastic bottles. In summer, cuttings need regular watering. The bottles must be left until spring. When the first needles appear on young seedlings, plastic containers they can be removed. It is at this time that you can transplant the plants into a pot.
There is another way to propagate cypress trees. It is suitable if the plant is in open ground. In spring, some shoots located below and very close to the ground can be bent back and buried. Before doing this, you should cut the bark on the branch a little and treat the wound with a root stimulant. To prevent the shoot from rising, it should be pressed down a little. To do this, you can use any weight, for example, a stone. In spring, the shoot should take root well. It can be carefully cut off and replanted.
Other concerns
How to protect cypress from frost? Planting and care require special attention, since any defect can destroy the plant. To protect the cypress tree from frost, in mid-autumn it is worth pouring a little mulch around its trunk, and then covering everything with spruce branches. If the air temperature drops significantly, then the tree itself should be covered with spruce branches. Such a shelter will protect the cypress tree from the cold. The paws can be removed in mid-April.
With the onset of spring, all dry branches from the tree should be removed. If necessary, you can even carry out decorative pruning. During the same period, after abundant watering, all places where the bark is cracked should be treated with garden varnish.
Pests and diseases
How to determine what disease a cypress tree has? A photo of the affected plant can be very helpful in this case. It is worth remembering that for a tree in conditions indoors Spider mites are very dangerous. If you follow all the rules for growing cypress trees, maintain the necessary humidity and sufficient low temperatures, then this pest does not pose a danger.
If the plant is not flooded, its resistance to disease only increases. The health of cypress trees is affected not only by excess moisture, but also by incorrectly selected soil and fertilizer. high concentration and lack of drainage. In this case, first of all, the root system suffers greatly. The bright spring sun can cause burns on the needles. Therefore, you need to take care of the cypress tree. How to care for this plant is described above. If you follow all the rules, the tree will grow unusually beautiful.
The content of the article:
Cypress (Cupressus) is a genus of plants belonging to the Cypress family (Cupressaceae). All of them are evergreen representatives of the flora, which have a shrubby or woody growth form. The crown mainly has a pyramidal or spreading outline. In natural conditions, cypress trees are most often found in the northern hemisphere, where the tropical and subtropical climate completely dominates. Namely, on the lands of the Mediterranean, on the Black Sea coast (in the Caucasus and Crimea), but you can find these examples of the green world in the Sahara, in the vastness of the Himalayas, cypress also did not ignore the southern Chinese regions and the American continent (from Oregon to Guatemala). All the species which now exist are of very ancient origin, the roots of which go back to fossil times, but remains of such varieties may be found in the Tertiary formation. This genus (according to various scientific sources) includes from 19 to 25 varieties.
The height of such representatives cypress family can reach 25 m. When home growing these parameters are much more modest, they do not exceed 2 meters. In trees or bushes, the leaf plates are quite small; when the plant is still very young, they resemble needles, and when the cypress becomes mature, the leaves acquire a scale-like shape and are pressed against the branches, arranged in the form of tiles laid in four rows. Each such leaf has only a free tip; its entire main part is tightly fused with the branch. On back side The leaf has a developed oil gland, which is often sharply defined. The leaf color is dark green and has a slight bluish tint.
This pyramidal plant is monoecious, and each member bears either male or female cones. Male ones are called microstrobilae and they have a spherical or elongated cylindrical shape; they include a rod on which microsporophylls are located. There are varieties in which they are rounded, but in others the shape is polygonal-thyroid, the placement of microsporophylls is opposite. Each of them contains 3–5 microsporangia. Female cones are called megastrobiles; their covering leaves are completely fused with the seed scales, so this formation consists of a rod, which is covered by 6 to 10 (rarely 14) crosswise placed scales, called megasporophylls. Each scale carries several ovules - they are called megasporangia.
In the second year of formation, the cones begin to ripen, they acquire an ovoid or spherical shape, and the scales themselves become like thickened multifaceted shields, which are very eccentrically attached to a plump stem. On the back of the scale, a pointed outgrowth, developed to a greater or lesser extent, is clearly visible. On the underside of such a scale, the seeds are placed very closely, arranged in several rows. Each flattened seed has a narrow wing. The embryo has a pair of cotyledons; in rare cases, 3–4 units can be formed.
It is important to note that, compared to other representatives of coniferous plants, cypress adapts quite well to life in a room environment. It happens that unknowing people confuse cypress with the Cypress tree (Chamaecyparis), which is very similar to it, only the latter has a light greenish color without a blue tint. Of course, this is not a big problem, since both “green pets” need to be cared for according to similar rules. However, it is worth noting that it is not so easy to grow cypress in your home - it is quite capricious and requires close attention, but it's worth it. Consider the basic requirements for plant maintenance.
- Lighting level should be high, but the direct rays of the sun should not fall on the plant, so a place on the windowsill of an eastern or western window is suitable. In summer, cypress is placed on the north window, and in winter - on the south.
- Content temperature. When spring comes, it is better to grow cypress at room temperature - it is important to moisten it on time. With the arrival of autumn, you should move the cypress tree to a place where the temperature will vary between 5–10 degrees.
- Watering Cypress needs regular and plentiful feeding. Drying the soil, like flooding it, is destructive. The signal for watering is the slight drying of the top layer of soil. With the arrival of winter, watering depends on the temperature of the content; the substrate cannot be overdried. Only soft and well-settled water at room temperature is used.
- Air humidity when growing cypress it should be high, since in conditions natural environment the plant is located near river arteries and lakes. When cultivating indoors, it is recommended to irrigate the crown generously with a spray bottle or wash it in the shower (the soil is covered). It is recommended to spray twice a day - in the morning and in the evening.
- Fertilizers. Preparations intended for coniferous plants in liquid form are used, the frequency of application is monthly, from May until the end of summer. It is important that the preparation does not contain large quantity nitrogen, and magnesium is essential.
- Replanting and selection of soil. After about two years, replanting is required, as the substrate will lose its nutritional properties. The spring period will be suitable. Since the root system is highly sensitive, it is better to change the pot by transferring it. A drainage layer is placed at the bottom of the new container - a quarter of the total volume of the container.
How to propagate cypress yourself, growing from seeds?
To get a young cypress tree you will need to sow seeds or take cuttings.
When propagating cypress using seeds, it is recommended to stratify them before sowing (keep them in the cold for 3-4 months, the bottom shelf of the refrigerator is suitable). They should then be soaked in warm water for 12 hours, but it is better in a solution of Kornevin or Epin. Planting is done in boxes with a 4x4 pattern, in a substrate intended for coniferous plants, or use moistened sand (sawdust). The container is covered with polyethylene to create conditions high humidity, and also maintains heat for successful germination. But still, at best, up to 50% of cypress seeds germinate. It is necessary to winnow the crops every day and, if necessary, moisten the substrate. As soon as the sprouts appear, the cover is removed and when the seedlings reach a height of 5–6 cm, they are planted in separate pots with a suitable substrate. Over the course of a year they will become 20–25 cm.
When cutting, apical or semi-lignified branches are used, which remain from pruning the cypress. There should be a “heel” on the cutting; the leaves from the bottom of the branch are removed and placed in the root solution for 24 hours. Afterwards, you need to powder the cuts with crushed coal and plant them in a pot with soil for coniferous plants. Planting depth is 1/3 of the entire length. Then the soil is well moistened and the branches are covered glass jar or wrap themselves up plastic film. For successful rooting, you will need to remove the cover for 1–2 hours a day. After 1–2 months, the cuttings will take root.
Controlling cypress pests and diseases at home
From harmful insects that attack the plant can be identified spider mite, scale insects or false scale insects. If signs of the presence of these pests are detected, it is necessary to treat with soap or oil solutions. If this does not give the desired result, then the cypress is sprayed with insecticides (Aktellik or Aktira, diluting 1-2 drops of the product in 1 liter of water). It is necessary to repeat the treatment after a week and it can be carried out 3-4 more times with the same break to remove all pests and eggs.
Basically, all problems when growing cypress indoors occur due to violations of the conditions of detention:
- Root rot can appear due to constant waterlogging of the substrate in the pot; if a problem is identified, it is recommended to transplant into a new container and sterilized soil, before this all rotten parts are removed, and the sections are sprinkled with crushed activated or charcoal. Watering is reduced until the plant recovers.
- Cypress begins to dry out in case of low humidity, watering with poor quality water or insufficient moisture, too low temperature in room.
- If the leaves begin to turn yellow, then this is a sign of lack of nutrition.
- In the case when the cypress has stopped growing, the color of the needles has changed, a small coating appears on it and the shoots and small insects are visible, then this is evidence of poor soil quality or that it is not suitable for growing cypress. Urgent transplantation with preliminary washing is required soap solution affected parts, as well as spraying with insecticides and frequent ventilation.
- If the branches dry out, it is recommended to cut them back to a living bud.
According to the legend that exists in Greek mythology Cypress was the name of a young man with a beautiful face, who was the favorite of the god Apollo. There are different versions of what happened at that time. According to one of them, the young man grieved so much over the deer he killed himself that God could not stand it and turned it into a slender tree with an evergreen crown. And according to another - knowing how the Greek deities did not allow mortals to pass, the young man chose to turn into a tree himself in order to avoid the persecution of Apollo.
By planting a cypress tree in your home, you can not only get a two-meter evergreen plant, but also fill your home with the fresh and fragrant coniferous smell that cypress resin exudes.
In indoor conditions, it is recommended to grow large-fruited cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa), which has small size. And if climatic conditions permit, then it is customary to use evergreen cypress (Cupressus sempervirens L.) to decorate hedges.
If we talk about obtaining aromatic oil, then the needles and shoots of not all varieties, but for example the Mexican cypress (Cupressus lusitanica Mill.) will be useful. This product is antirheumatic, antiseptic, and also helps relieve spasms and tone the body. It is worth mentioning that this oil is actively used in aromatherapy sessions. However, the price of such oil is quite high and therefore in medicine and perfumery it is replaced by products with a lower cost.
All species with the exception of Arizona cypress have fairly soft and light wood, it is distinguished by the properties of exuding fungicides, and its smell is a good protection against insects. It is used in furniture making and shipbuilding, and often serves as a material for the manufacture of church accessories - rosaries, crosses, frames for icons, shrines or boxes. An interesting fact is that the Egyptian priests knew about the properties of cypress wood and sarcophagi were made from it, and the oil was part of the solution for embalming mummies. Even Plutarch ( ancient Greek philosopher, biographer and moralist) called for all laws to be written on cypress boards.
However, the foliage itself, painted in a dark green color, has always been a symbol of sadness, so cypress is a frequent guest in cemeteries; cypress branches were laid on tombs and decorated homes with them as a sign of mourning.
Types of cypress
Here are just some of the types of cypress plants:
- Arizona cypress (Cupressus arizonica) mostly in natural conditions found in Mexico and the southwestern United States. This tree reaches a height of 21 m and easily tolerates frosts down to 20–25 degrees. The wood is heavier than other species. The plant is evergreen.
- Cashmere cypress (Cupressus cashmeriana) represents the highest tree plant on the territory of Asia. To grow, it “climbs” to altitudes in the range of 1250–2800 m above sea level. On the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus, the plant appeared only in late XIX centuries. If a cypress crosses the seven-year mark, then it reaches a height of 20–25 m with a trunk girth of about 50–70 m. Coniferous and evergreen, with a narrow pyramidal-shaped crown, the leaves are scale-like; if the cypress is under direct rays of the sun, then they begin to acquire a bluish color color.
- Sahara cypress (Cupressus dupreziana) may be found under the name Dupre cypress. It is endemic to the territories on the Tassilien-Adjer plateau, which are located in the central Sahara (southeast of Algeria). To protect this species from destruction in the 20th century, a national park zone was created in this area, and it is recognized as a world heritage UNESCO. These trees reach a height of 20 m with a trunk diameter of up to 3 m. Due to merciless human activity, it is impossible to determine the natural contours of the crown. Their trunk is covered with red-brown bark, cut by elongated longitudinal cracks; it is often torn off. The branches grow almost perpendicular to the trunk, and then have a bend towards the top, the shoots are thickened. The dense foliage has the outline of scales; they are arranged like a cross, overlapping each other, have slight compression, and are pointed at the apex. The length of the scale reaches 1–1.5 mm, its color is green with a bluish tint.
- Weeping cypress (Cupressus funebris) found in China. The height of the plant can reach 18 m, the branches have a drooping appearance. This variety is often planted in cemeteries in China and Japan.
- California cypress (Cupressus goveniana) Today, several populations of this species are known, which grow isolated on the Californian coast. It can take both shrub and tree form, rarely growing above 10 m; if conditions are favorable, then the height parameters can reach up to 50 m. There are several fruiting trees collected in populations that reach a height of 20 m and prefer to grow in sandy areas. dunes. The crown takes on a spherical or columnar shape, with moderate density. The bark covering the trunk is smooth to the touch or has irregular cracks. The branches are often heavily intertwined. The needles do not have a bluish coating, and they do not have a gland that secretes resin. The size of male cones is 3–4 mm in length with a width of up to 1.5–2 mm, while female cones vary in length within 1–3 cm. The shape of the latter is rounded, the color is grayish-brown and they have 3–5 scales. The color of the seeds is dark brown, black or bluish, the length is 3–5 mm.
