Reproduction of the Arizona cypress
Reproduction of the Arizona cypress
The Arizona cypress (Cupressus arizonica, E.Greene) is an evergreen conifer of the Cupressaceae family.
This plant, in its places of origin, can reach heights of up to about 15-20 meters; the crown is generally conical in the young specimens, while it assumes a columnar bearing with maturity.
The leaves are flakes of a color between green and gray, which emit an unpleasant odor if crushed and the bark is reddish-brown.
This plant native to Arizona (USA) and northern Mexico was introduced in Europe at the end of the last century for ornamental purposes.
Botanists traditionally identify at least four varieties of the species even if not all are in agreement.
Suitable breeding habitat –
Cupressus arizonica is a conifer that, native to Arizona, is found mainly in the southwestern United States (Arizona, Utah, southwestern New Mexico and southern California, with few populations in southern Nevada and the Chisos Mountains of western Texas), and in Mexico (Coahuila, Nuevo León, Chihuahua, Sonora, Durango, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas and northern Baja California).
In its natural state it is often found in small and scattered populations, not necessarily in large forests. One example is found within the oak forests of Sierra Juárez and San Pedro Mártir in Mexico, where it is found alongside canyon oaks and California dwarf palms.
The species as a whole is not in danger of extinction, although some of its commonly identified varieties are.
Propagation –
For the propagation of Cupressus arizonica, in addition to the climatic conditions, it must be taken into account that it is a plant that, in nature, grows on rocky or gravelly soils, in canyons and ravines, between 1000 and 2650 meters above sea level.
The plant grows well in loamy or peaty soils as long as they are well drained. Once established, these plants are very tolerant of hot and dry climatic conditions and drought. It is also a plant that requires a sunny position.
It is a fast-growing and fairly long-lived tree.
It is grown as a lumber tree both in Italy and, occasionally, in other parts of Europe.
Propagation occurs by seed with sowing that must be carried out at the end of winter in a cold seedbed and covering the seed. The seed can be stored for several years.
Three-week cold stratification can improve germination rates.
The seed usually germinates in 1 – 2 months at 20 ° C. The seedlings must be watered carefully and kept in a well-ventilated area.
In its natural state, on the plant, the seed takes two summers to develop and mature cones often remain closed on the tree, opening only after the heat of a forest fire.
Once germinated, the young seedlings must be transplanted into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to be handled and left to grow like this for the first winter.
The definitive transplant must be done every year in late spring or early summer, after the last foreseen frosts.
Another method of propagation is that for cuttings of almost mature wood, to be carried out in the period of September in a room protected from the winter frost; however, the best time to prepare cuttings is mid-spring.
In any case it is a plant that can be multiplied not only by seed and by cutting but also by layering or grafting. The most advisable thing, however, is to buy it already rooted and developed in specialized nurseries.
Ecology –
Cupressus arizonica is an evergreen tree that can reach 25.00 meters in height and which, in its natural state, is used for local use, as a source of wood and other uses.
In the original habitats it carries out an important action of consolidation of the slopes and shelter for many species of animals as well as an important source of oxygen.