Lawson's cypress (Chamaecyparis Lawsoniana) is a coniferous plant from the Cypress family. Natural habitats are East Asian countries, but the North American continent is considered the birthplace of the plant. There, representatives of this genus can turn into gigantic trees, sometimes reaching 80 meters in height.
Description of Lawson's cypress
Lawson's cypress has short, scale-like leaves that resemble needles. The needles of young plants are soft and pleasant to the touch. The bark is reddish brown, but hardly visible under many shoots. As a representative of conifers, Lawson's cypress has a number of similarities with other similar plants: thuja and cypress. But its branches are more compact than cypress ones, and the top is slightly lowered. Such a tree can bloom only in nature, this period falls in the spring. After that, cypress shoots are decorated with small (about 1 cm) rounded cones. In the fall, tiny seeds ripen in them. Each scale contains 2 seeds.
Until recently, similar coniferous species were grown only in open ground or in winter gardens. But today, compact varieties of cypress trees, including Lawson, can be purchased in pots and grown at home. Growth rates of domestic cypress trees are moderate. But being planted in a large container, some species can grow to the ceiling in several years. Plants that are too large for the house are usually transplanted into open ground. As a rule, they are able to withstand frosts down to -25 degrees, but in general, frost resistance may depend on a particular variety.
Going to the store for Lawson's cypress, you should pay attention to the Latin names of the plants. Due to the high similarity, some conifers are often passed off as other species. Small cypress trees tend to be cheaper due to their popularity in domestic culture and their relatively easy reproduction.
Brief rules for growing Lawson's cypress
The table summarizes the rules for caring for Lawson's cypress at home.
| Lighting level | Bright diffused light is preferred, east or west windows are preferred. |
| Content temperature | The temperature in winter should be no more than 15 degrees; in summer, the pot is taken out into the air. |
| Watering mode | Abundant watering in summer, but liquid stagnation in the soil must be avoided. |
| Air humidity | The level of humidity is required to be increased, the plant is often sprayed. |
| The soil | The optimal soil is considered to be special mixtures for coniferous species. You can use a mixture of a double portion of leafy soil with turf, sand and peat. |
| Top dressing | Top dressing is carried out twice a month from spring to late summer. A weak solution of mineral formulations is used. |
| Transfer | Transplants are carried out every 2.5 years. |
| Pruning | Plants are pruned every six months. |
| Bloom | Blooming at home is impossible, only in the natural environment. |
| Dormant period | The dormant period begins in winter. |
| Reproduction | Cuttings, layering, seeds. |
| Pests | Scabbards, spider mites. |
| Diseases | May be affected by root rot. |
The essential oils of Lawson's cypress are considered poisonous and should be handled carefully.
Caring for Lawson's cypress at home
Conifers are not so easy to grow at home, but with knowledge of all the features of development, you can provide the necessary care. Lawson's cypress tolerates room conditions well enough and responds to proper care with active growth.
Lighting
Lawson's cypress needs sufficient lighting. It should be diffused, but bright. So that too scorching rays do not leave burns on the branches, you should not put a tree on the southern window. The eastern or western sides are considered optimal. For uniform crown formation, the plant is turned towards the light with different sides. The most light-loving varieties are considered to be with an unusual golden color of the needles. Instances with simpler, bluish needles can tolerate partial shade. Green cypress trees are considered the most shade-tolerant.
Temperature
Maintaining the right temperature is very important for plant development. In winter, Lawson's cypress is kept in a room where the temperature does not exceed 15 degrees. The room with the plant should be ventilated frequently. Due to the fact that the tree does not tolerate hot weather, in the summer they try to take it out into the air - in the garden or on the balcony. During this period, the cypress especially needs spraying.
Watering mode
Lawson's cypress needs a lot of moisture, so it is watered abundantly. In the summer, you can do this twice a week. Only settled water is used for irrigation. An adult plant is capable of assimilating about 10 liters at a time. So that the liquid does not stagnate in the roots, they provide good drainage, and loosening elements are also added to the soil. After watering, the root area can be mulched with bark or coconut substrate.
Humidity level
The high dryness of the air is especially harmful to the plant. For the normal development of Lawson's cypress, the humidity should be at least 50%, so the tree is sprayed several times a day. For this, warm, well-settled water is used. You can place the pot next to the aquarium or place open containers of water next to it. The use of humidifiers will also work. Small specimens are placed on a pallet with wet pebbles.
Capacity selection
Lawson's cypress requires a wide and necessarily stable capacity. Its volume is calculated based on the size of the root system. When transplanting, the new pot should be about 3.5 cm larger than the old one. A prerequisite is the presence of drainage holes.
The soil
For full development, Lawson's cypress requires suitable soil. It should be nutritious, loose and slightly acidic. A special substrate for coniferous species is ideal. For self-preparation, a mixture of turf with peat, sand or perlite and two parts of leafy soil is used. As a baking powder, vermiculite, small foam elements or brick debris are added to the soil. You can also add chopped sphagnum or crushed coal to the ground.
Top dressing
Improving the growth of Lawson's cypress is facilitated by timely feeding. They are carried out from April to mid-July, fertilizing the plant twice a month with a half dose of the mineral composition for conifers. It is best to combine such feeding with watering.
Transfer
Lawson's cypress is not often transplanted. Usually this procedure is carried out in the spring, every two years or more.By this time, the roots of the tree should completely fill the soil ball. When transplanting, it should not be destroyed using the transshipment method.
The growth point should not be deepened - the root collar is left at the soil level. For some time after transplanting, the plant should spend in the shade. Watering and spraying during this period is not carried out too often. You can return to the usual feeding regimen after 2 weeks.
Pruning
The growth rate of Lawson's cypress suggests pruning every six months. Sanitary pruning is carried out in the spring. All damaged or dried shoots are cut from the tree. You can at the same time form the crown of a plant, most often it is given a pyramid close to the natural shape.
In the fall, after the active growth of the cypress is completed, part of the fresh growth should be removed from it, while maintaining the shape of the crown. As a rule, no more than a third of all branches are subject to removal. Bare shoots are also removed: they will dry out soon and will have a bad effect on the decorative effect of the tree.
Lawson cypress is sometimes used to form bonsai. To do this, at the end of summer, its crown is pruned, removing damaged branches and giving it the desired shape. The remaining shoots are fixed with wire and removed after they take the required direction.
Bloom
Lawson cypress flowers form only in their natural environment. In spring, female (greenish) and male (burgundy) flowers appear on the tops of the shoots. Later, small spherical cones are formed in their place, in which the seeds are located. As the buds develop, the color of the buds changes from green to brown.
Dormant period
In winter, Lawson's cypress should be shaded from the bright sun. Resting at rest requires an average temperature of about 15 degrees. In such conditions, the plant is not watered as often, but they continue to be sprayed. You should not put the pot next to the batteries: dry air can destroy the plant.
Breeding methods of Lawson's cypress
Home conditions allow you to propagate Lawson's cypress in several ways.
Growing from seeds
If Lawson's cypress grows in the garden, seeds can be harvested from it in the fall. Before sowing, they must be stratified. To do this, they are buried in the snow for a couple of months or put in the refrigerator. At the beginning of spring, each seed is sown in a glass to a depth of about 7 mm. From above, the crops are covered with a film, periodically removing it for airing. With seed reproduction, cypress trees develop rather slowly.
Propagation by cuttings
The vegetative way of reproduction is considered to be faster and is practiced more often. For cuttings, fresh shoots with a length of at least 15 cm are chosen. All needles are removed from their lower part, and then the cuttings are kept in a solution of a root-forming stimulant for a day. Then they are planted in a container to a depth of about 3.5 cm and covered with a bag.
When the seedling grows, it can be moved to a larger container.
Diseases and pests
Lawson's cypress is quite resistant to the effects of diseases. But if the rules for caring for the plant are not followed, it can be affected by root rot. The main reason for this problem is the excess moisture stagnant in the soil. To prevent stagnation, it is necessary to create a good drainage layer at the bottom of the tank, use loose soil and follow the irrigation schedule. For example, if the topsoil has not yet dried out, you should not water the plant.
If the cypress nevertheless begins to rot, it is necessary to remove the plant from the pot and carefully examine its roots. The affected areas are removed, treated with fungicides, and then transplanted into a new pot with fresh soil.
Of the pests, Lawson's cypress most often affects scabbards or spider mites. They should be controlled with insecticides.
Useful properties of Lawson cypress
A live "Christmas tree" in a pot is not only pleasing to the eye, but also contributes to the creation of a festive mood in winter.Lawson's cypress, like its subspecies, is capable of enriching indoor air with a whole range of useful elements, including oxygen and ozone. The plant releases phytoncides, positively affecting the microclimate of the room, helps to humidify the air and absorbs noise.
A pair of plants purifies the air by almost 70% on an area of 10 square meters. This property of Lawson's cypress allows not only to get rid of harmful impurities in the atmosphere, but also to strengthen health and improve mood.
Lavson cypress varieties with photos and names
Lawson's cypress is the main type of cypress grown at home. It has many forms and varieties with different colors of needles and different sizes, including dwarf forms.
Elwoodi (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Ellwoodii)
Varietal series with drooping shoots covered with bluish needles. The crown resembles a cone in shape. Elwoodi varieties are notable for their compact size. By the age of 10, such a tree grows to about 1.5 m. The annual growth is only about 5 cm. This variety also has a number of varieties that differ in shades of needles.
Blue Surprise (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Blue Surprise)
The variety has a narrow pyramidal crown up to 3 m in height with a diameter of about 1.5 m. The bark has a reddish tint, sometimes it can crack. The needles are light, silvery-bluish.
Fletchery (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Fletcheri)
Low grade. It has a columnar crown, the branches are directed upwards. The shoots are covered with green-bluish needles, the branches themselves have a red tint. It does not tolerate drought well and needs sufficient moisture.
