Pea cypress(Chamaecyparis pisifera) is a very popular species native to Japan and widely cultivated especially in countries with milder, humid climates. There are interestingvarieties of pea cypresstaking the form of trees and small shrubs. Thanks to this, these plants are used in both large and small gardens. We suggest whatgrowing a cypress in the garden looks likeand what are the requirements of this plant, how to makepruning a cypresswhen it becomes too large and we reveal the best ways to do it yourselfreproduction of the pea cypress
Pea cypress 'Boulevard'
Fig. depositphotos.com
Pea cypress - varieties
The multitude of varieties, ease of cultivation and slow growth rate make thepea cypress a dream plantfor compositions, free plantings, rockeries and for growing in containers. Here are the most popular and noteworthyvarieties of pea cypress :
Pea cypress 'Aurea'- is a small plant that grows up to 6-7 m tall and works well in small gardens. Decorative scales have a golden yellow color that fades to dark green inside the crown.
Pea cypress 'Boulevard'- reaches 5 m in height and 1.2 m in width. It is a slowly growing shrub, and after many years of cultivation a small tree with a conical shape and an attractive, silvery color of twigs. Its gray, needle-shaped leaves, up to 5-6 m long, are covered with soft and densely arranged needles, which, curving upwards, cover the shoots, showing the lower side with two white waxy stripes.It changes color from green to gray in autumn and winter.
Pea cypress 'Filifera aurea'- is a low shrub, growing up to 4 m, with a wide cone-shaped crown. It has a golden yellow color that persists throughout the year. The variety is recommended for small gardens, rockeries and as a solitaire. It is resistant to polluted air, so it is especially recommended for planting in urban areas.
Pea cypress 'Filifera Nana'
Fig. stgiera, forum.PoradnikOgrodniczy.pl
Pea cypress 'Filifera Nana'- is a dwarf cypress variety, slowly growing, reaching a height of 1.5 m with a dark green color. Recommended for small gardens and rock gardens. Perfect for planting over water reservoirs due to overhanging shoots forming a fountain.
Pea cypress 'Golden mop'- is distinguished by a golden-yellow color of shoots. Dwarf variety reaches 1 m in height. It is characterized by high frost resistance to -20 ° C and is recommended for cultivation all over Poland. It can be planted as a ground cover, e.g. on slopes.
Pea cypress 'Golden mop'
Fig. depositphotos.com
Pea cypress 'Plumosa'- is the most widespread variety, tall, reaching 10 m in height and over 3 m in width. Its raised branches are covered with green needles. Its golden version is ' Plumosa Aurea ', and for owners of small gardens, we recommend the dwarf variety ' Plumosa Aurea Compacta ', which grows to only 1 m heights.
Pea cypress 'Snow'- has a beautiful silvery color of leaves and reaches 1.5 m in height. This variety feels best in partial shade near a water reservoir. It works well in container cultivation or in a balcony box. Responds well to molding.
Pea cypress 'Nana'- decorative spherical shrub, height 60 cm and width up to 150 cm, forming compact, flattened cushions.Shoots with a characteristic twisted end are covered with blue-green scales. The plant is frost-resistant and resistant to air pollution.
Pea cypress 'Nana Variegata'- this is a golden, spooky version of its predecessor. It works well as an element of the composition and as a ground cover.
Cyprisik pea 'Baby blue'- on average it grows up to 1 m in height and width at its base, forming a wide cone with a blue-silver color. This variety of the pea cypress is good for pruning, so it makes a perfect plant carving or an attractive background for perennials in a flower bed.
Cyprisik pea - requirements, cultivation
The pea cypress is not particularly demanding to grow , but it likes moisture, so it is worth planting it near water reservoirs. It is an excellent solitary plant. It works best on moist, fertile soils with a slightly acidic reaction (pH 6.0-6.5).In spring or autumn, the sandy soil intended for cypress cultivation should be fertilized with compost, while the heavy soil with acidic high peat and composted bark, using a 1: 1: 1 ratio between soil, peat and bark. In the spring time, it is advantageous to feed the plants with mineral fertilizer. It is best to use a multi-component universal fertilizer or specialist fertilizer for conifers. It is worth remembering that the cypress is very sensitive to soil salinity, so do not exceed the recommended doses of fertilizers.
Plants that are sold in containers can be planted all year round, as their root system will remain intact after being removed from the container. When we decide to buy cypress seedlings dug out of the ground (with the so-called open root), it is best to plant them in early spring or early autumn from August to September, so that they have time to take root and adapt to a new place before winter.
Pea cypress 'Aurea'
Fig. depositphotos.com
In order to keep moisture in the soil, whichis extremely important in the cultivation of pea cypress , it is worth mulching the soil around the plants. For mulching, we can use organic materials (pine bark, grass, needles, cones) and artificial materials, such as polypropylene non-woven fabric.
Pea cypresses require well sunlit to slightly shaded positions , sheltered from the wind. Plant hardiness zones for most varieties of pea cypress are 5B or 6A. So they can be cultivated throughout Poland and are much more frost-resistant than, for example, Lawson's cypress.
Pea cypress - diseases and pests
In the cultivation of pea cypress, we most often encounter fungal diseasessuch as:- Phytophthora - the disease infects the root system, leading to its rotting, as a result of which cypresses grow slower, their scales or needles turn yellow, and then turn reddish-brown. With time, whole plants die and look like burnt.
- gray mold - a disease manifested in the form of a gray, dusty coating on the needles and shoots and the formation of watery spots, with time the clogged tissues dry up,
- shoot dieback - infection leading to browning and falling needles, rot spots appear on various parts of the shoot, brown necrosis usually attacksthe tops of the shoots and moves gradually lower and lower.
After noticing the first browning shoots, cut them on an ongoing basis , and spray the whole plants with the natural preparation Biosept Active. This preparation immunizes plants against diseases and stimulates their growth, which accelerates the regeneration of damaged tissues. A very good solution is also spraying and watering the plant with a biological fungicide called Polyversum WP, which effectively treats plants infected with phytophthora and gray mold. Both of these natural preparations can be used preventively and after noticingsymptoms of the disease on the sprouts of the pea cypress Due to the different mode of action, however, Biosept and Polyversum WP should not be used simultaneously (choose one of them, and use the other one not earlier than after waiting for at least 2 weeks).
If you need to use a stronger fungicide, it is worth reaching for for the fungicide Scorpion 325 SC, whichcan cope with all the above-mentioned diseases of the pea cypress
Pests extremely rarely attack pea cypressand usually do not pose a significant problem in their cultivation. These plants may occasionally contain the pine spider mite and the cypress aphid.
Pea cypress - reproduction
Pea cypress trees are generally availableand most nurseries can be selected in varieties of various shapes and colors, but people with a lot of patience may try to reproduce them on their own, preferably by cuttings or with seeds.
In the autumn (from September to November) we preparecuttings of pea cypressfrom this year's shoots with a fragment of last year's wood at the base (i.e. with the so-called heel), which we immerse in the rooting high peat and coarse sand, then put in a tunnel or greenhouse. In spring we can replant them to containers.
If we decide to propagate the cypress seedsthat is time-consuming , we have to keep the collected seeds for the winter in a dark and cool room. In March, the cypress seeds are mixed with moist sand, stratified (stored in a moist substrate, e.g. sand or in a refrigerator at -4 ° C) for up to 4 weeks, and then in May, sown into boxes filled with a mixture of peat, sand and bark. After 2-3 years from sowing, seedlings can be transplanted into containers, and after another 2-4 years into beds. However, we should remember that in this way we can mainly reproduce the species, because seedlings of ornamental varieties often do not repeat the characteristics of the mother plant. Garden cypress varieties are definitely better to be propagated vegetatively through cuttings
Cypress seedlings 'Boulevard'
Fig. depositphotos.com
Pea cypress - pruning
The pea cypress does not require a shaping cutbecause it has a natural, beautiful habit. However, there are no obstacles to form a crown according to your needs, creating unique garden sculptures or hedges. Just remember to choosepea cypress varieties that are pruning welland hardy, such as 'Baby blue' or 'Snow'. Before starting the vegetation and the second time at the beginning of summer, it is enough to trim the formed crown to maintain the desired shape.When we see the need to remove old, damaged and dry shoots,sanitary cutting of the pea cypressis performed in the spring.
It is also worth knowing that there area few varieties of pea cypress, which are very favorable for cutting An example is the pea cypress 'Squarrosa intermedia', which is pruned annually to form a dense shrub resembling a silver-blue pillow. If not pruned, it becomes a loose shrub with an irregular shape.
How to become confident in pruning plants?
If you are unsure how to cut or simply afraid to do it, the fantastic book "Cutting School" will help you. Thanks to it, you will gain confidence in pruning plants and learn to cut plants so that they grow according to your expectations. After reading this book, your approach to pruning plants will probably change completely!
