Cupressus is an indoor flower for fans of bonsai and cypress: ideal forms of coniferous culture.
Cupressus house flowers are a very common houseplant among cypress and bonsai fans. Flower growers often confuse it with another representative of conifers - Cypress. But, it is worth knowing that these are completely different cultures, each of them requires certain conditions of detention. The genus, represented by 7 species, belongs to the Cypress family and includes a wide variety of varieties, among which Cupressus goldcrest wilma is especially distinguished, we will see it in the photo below. The article talks about popular varieties and gives advice on organizing care in the open ground on the street and at home. Some growing problems are analyzed in detail, for example, what to do if the green parts of the plant dry out. You can find out how to plant cupressus at home and in the country.
The name Cupressus is a Latin term for a particular variety of cypress that is grown in gardens and as potted plants. In fact, the difference between cupressus and cypress remains controversial. Some sources claim that these are two different genera of the Cypress family, while others insist that they are one and the same. In the photo below you can see that visually this is the case. Often, when listing the types and varieties of cupressus, those that are characteristic of cypress are indicated, for example: Arizona, Evergreen, Mexican and Large-fruited.
Look at the cupressus in the photo, which shows plants at home and in open ground outside:
The types of cupressus presented in the photo will allow you to choose a variety of culture for your home and garden.
Decoration of your home - cypress Goldcrest Wilma
Cypress is a favorite of landscape designers and gardeners. It combines two advantages - aesthetic beauty and usefulness.
Before growing this plant, read the recommendations for caring for it.
Let's talk about Gold Wilma cypress: care at home, problems with growing, beneficial and harmful properties.
Home care
This representative of evergreens and conifers takes root better than all others in apartment conditions. But he will not forgive you for inattention to himself !
How to care after purchase?
Cypress Goldcrest Wilma is very sensitive to external influences and lack of moisture . Do not loosen the soil under any circumstances to avoid damaging the roots.
Provide the plant with moderate air temperature in the remaining seasons of the year, and in winter – cool, 5 degrees.
From late spring to early autumn, it is better to place the cypress pot in fresh air, shading it and protecting it from drafts. The light should be bright and diffused. Do not destroy it with hot air from a radiator or heater during the rest period.
Features of watering
Water the plant on time. It is especially abundant from May to August inclusive. It is strictly forbidden to overdry it!
The reaction will occur only after some time - about a month. The cypress will turn pale, its branches will be dry and lifeless. But excess water is also harmful.
In winter , water several times a month at a temperature of 8-9 degrees, and once a week at 10-12.
Feel free to spray more often, maybe even daily.
Bloom
At home, Goldcrest Wilma cypress has almost no chance of blooming . This is due to the fact that unisexual male plants usually go on sale.
any big hits from him either. Cypress is dioecious in nature - for the formation of cones it is necessary to have both sexes of the plant - male and female.
Crown formation
By nature, Goldcrest Vilma is endowed with harmony and grace, correctness of form. First of all, this concerns the crown. It can be trimmed and adjusted occasionally. thorough pruning in the spring , before active sap flow begins.
It is useful to form a crown and trim it to give the plant a well-groomed appearance and activate the growth of young shoots. If you prefer classic forms, one procedure a year is enough. The tree will stretch upward, the growth of side shoots will remain slow, and the crown will form naturally.
If you wish, you can give the cypress an accent that is in tune with the overall interior of the home and your preferences. Fragile branches are easy to trim and “sculpting” the crown is not difficult. It’s quite easy to design the branches in the form of a cube, ball, pyramid, spiral to suit your imagination.
Preparing the soil and soil
Options:
- the pH level for soil for cultivation should be in the range of 5.5-6.5;
- a slightly acidic environment is most favorable;
- we select the soil in the ratio: one part turf soil, two parts leaf soil, one part peat soil and one part sand;
- We prepare high-quality drainage with the obligatory admixture of expanded clay, and make several holes at the bottom of the pot.
Planting and transplanting
If you want to plant a young sprout in a pot, do so when it reaches at least one month of age.
Do not immerse the root collar deep into the ground so that the plant does not die. The root collar is figuratively called the boundary that divides the trunk into aboveground and underground.
Growing
In open ground:
Light-loving species, for example, Cupressus macrofruit and Arizona, are planted in open places: they tolerate even direct sunlight well. Cupressus evergreen is shade-tolerant and does not require constant lighting.
Plants are undemanding to soil, but it is better if the soil is light, deep and fresh. Slightly acidic soils, with a pH of 5.0–6.0, or neutral ones, with a pH of 6.0–7.0, are preferred.
IN THE PHOTO: Most varieties of Cupressus are able to grow well in poor and rocky soils.
It is important to provide drainage to remove excess water from the area. If there is excess moisture in the soil, a tree or shrub dies due to root rot and windfalls. Cupressus, especially Lusitanian, does not benefit from excessive dry soil.
It is recommended to plant cupressus in early spring. For planting, a 1x1 m pit is dug. The soil at the bottom of the pit is loosened and sprinkled with pine humus. Sometimes the soil is completely replaced with a substrate of leaf soil, black soil, peat and sand in a ratio of 2:2:1:1.
The plant is placed in the planting hole so that the root collar is at ground level. Then the roots are sprinkled with earth or prepared substrate.
IN THE PHOTO: When planting a young tree, it is important to form a trunk circle. This will simplify watering, fertilizing and other care of Cupressus.
After planting, the plant is fixed with special braces and watered abundantly. In the future, street Cypress is watered exclusively during drought.
Fertilizing with universal fertilizer for coniferous plants is carried out annually. The amount and frequency of feeding is determined by the age and height of the Cupressus. The younger and shorter the tree, the more nutrients it will need and the more often it is fertilized. Fertilizers are applied to the tree trunk circle, with parallel loosening of the soil.
Foliar feeding will help to “revive” old Cupressuses or those growing on poor soil: the plants are sprayed with a solution of 1–2 g of nitrogen fertilizer in 1 liter. water.
In the container:
For Cupressus, a wide container 3–4 cm larger than the earthen ball with roots is suitable. It is filled with a ready-made substrate for indoor coniferous plants, or a 2:1:1 mixture of humus, leaf soil and sand. Coniferous soil, peat and perlite are added to the soil. Drainage is required.
The pot with Cupressus is placed in a lighted place, but not in direct sunlight. The contents are moderately warm, at +18–23°С. During the dormant period, in the winter months, the plant is kept at a temperature of +5–15°C.
IN THE PHOTO: A sufficient amount of diffused light is important for the decorative appearance of Cupressus needles.
Watering is moderate, when the top layer of soil dries. During the summer heat it is plentiful, in winter it is minimal to avoid drying out the soil.
For proper care of Cupressus, air humidity of at least 60% and ventilation all year round are essential.
It is fed with fertilizers with low phosphorus content, from spring to autumn, in small doses. The monthly amount of fertilizing according to the manufacturer's instructions is divided by the number of waterings, and is partially applied with each watering. During the dormant period, fertilizers are canceled.
Other recommendations for keeping Cupressus and other indoor conifers are set out in the publication: “Coniferous plants in the house - mission possible.”
Benefits and harms
There is a lot of talk about the beneficial and harmful properties of Goldcrest Wilma cypress. Let's start with the useful ones :
- extraction of essential oil used for aromatherapy, for respiratory diseases and for a beneficial effect on the female body, treating edema, normalizing mood and combating stress;
- tincture of cones is used in folk medicine for inflammatory processes and bleeding;
- needles have a good effect on the nervous system and the respiratory system, producing oxygen and harmonizing the microclimate in the house;
- The wood has a fungicidal effect - it repels small insects.
General information about the plant
North America, or more precisely California, is considered to be the birthplace of cypress. There are now 14 species of cypress, which primarily grow in the Northern Hemisphere in warm temperate climates. Now some types of cypress can be found on the Crimean Peninsula, Crete, Asia Minor, southern Russia and other territories.
This evergreen shrub or tree has round cones that ripen only in the second year. The branches of the plant are covered with scale-like needles and branch in one or more planes. Cypress propagates by grafting, cuttings and seeds.
If you are planning to grow cypress at home, then consider the fact that it has a positive effect on the nervous and respiratory systems due to its pine aroma. In addition, this plant intensively produces oxygen necessary for the human body.
Scientific name
Cupressus Goldcrest Wilma is the scientific name for the type of cypress we are considering. The first word comes from the island of Cyprus, the birthplace of the evergreen plant. Its leaves are cross-paired - hence the second part of the name.
These photographs show all the beauty of this type of cypress.
Care and maintenance of Goldcrest Wilma cypress
The Goldcrest Wilma cypress has gained particular love among flower growers. In Latin, “cypress” sounds like “Cupressus”, that is, “kupressus”, therefore the use of both names is equally valid.
Indoor cypress was bred in Britain to be kept in offices, but quickly gained the love of gardeners around the world.
Cypress Goldcrest Wilma belongs to the cypress family and looks like a Christmas tree with narrow leaves, only in miniature. The shoots are light green, almost yellow, which is why this plant is sometimes called “golden”. The small scaly leaves emit a faint lemon aroma. The variety was bred on the islands of Foggy Albion specifically for indoor growing and became the most popular office plant there.
Description of cypress
Juvenile leaves on young seedlings up to a year old are soft, needle-like, while on older trees they become scale-like, tightly adjacent or loosely located on the shoots. The leaves have white waxy spots or lines on the bottom.
Cypress trees belong to monoecious crops, so male and female flowers are formed on the same plant. Male yellow or red flowers appear at the ends of the lateral branches. Women's are spherical and inconspicuous.
The cones are spherical, up to 1 cm in diameter, and ripen in the first or second year of cultivation. In the fall they open to produce winged seeds.
Care requirements
- Lighting. Cypress Goldcrest Wilma prefers indirect light. If there is too much light, it may crumble. In winter, if there is a lack of natural lighting, it is necessary to organize artificial lighting, since if there is a lack of light, the shoots will stretch out and the cypress will lose its decorative appearance.
- Temperature. Loves moderate temperatures. At temperatures above 27°C, the cypress will begin to dry out and crumble. In summer you can keep it outside, protecting it from the sun and drafts. In winter, the temperature should be approximately 8-10°C. Under no circumstances should you place a flower near batteries.
- Watering. In spring and autumn, cypress needs abundant watering. In winter, when the temperature drops, watering is reduced. Depending on the temperature conditions of the room, the plant’s soil should not be allowed to dry out or become waterlogged. Cypress naturally grows near bodies of water, so it prefers moist air. To do this, the tree must be sprayed regularly. If the plant is kept outside in the summer, then during the hottest days you can water it with warm water from a watering can several times a day.
- The soil. The easiest way is to purchase ready-made soil for coniferous plants. To prevent root rot, cypress requires good drainage.
- Feeding. Conventional complex fertilizers are not suitable for this plant. They might just burn the cypress. Therefore, in order not to take risks, it is better not to use any fertilizers.
- Transfer. Cypress Goldcrest Wilma is replanted only if there is a strong need in early spring. It has very delicate roots, and any replanting is stressful for the plant. If possible, you can simply replace the top layer of soil without damaging the root system. When replanting, the root collar should not be buried, otherwise the tree may die. In order to replant cypress as rarely as possible, some gardeners slow down its growth by pruning the roots during the next replanting.
- Trimming. To form a crown in the spring, cypress must be pruned. This procedure stimulates the development of new branches.
Reproduction methods
Growing cypress from seeds
Nertera granadensis Home care Types of Nertera photo Reproduction and transplantation
It doesn’t matter whether you bought cypress seeds in a store or collected them yourself, before you start sowing, you need to stratify them. To do this, they are placed on the refrigerator shelf for 3–4 months.
Immediately before sowing, the seed material is immersed in water for 12 hours, which must be warm, and it is better to use Epin or Kornevin solution for this.
Take a seedling box and at its bottom make a drainage layer of crushed tree bark, which is covered with soil mixture for coniferous crops. Next, the seeds are sown according to a 4x4 centimeter pattern. You can replace the special soil mixture with sawdust or sand, but slightly grown seedlings will still have to be transplanted into a suitable soil mixture. The crops are placed in a warm place and care is taken to keep the substrate moist at all times, but it will be good if at least ½ of the seeds germinate.
After the seedlings have a height of about 50–60 mm, the bushes are transplanted into separate pots, but the root collar of the plants cannot be buried. Then move them to a well-lit place and provide them with timely watering, fertilizing and moistening from a spray bottle. After just 12 months, the bushes will have a height of about 20–25 centimeters.
Cuttings
Cypress can also be propagated by semi-lignified or apical cuttings, of which sufficient quantities remain after pruning the tree. You will only need those pieces that have a heel. All the lower leaf plates are torn off from them, and then they are placed in a jar filled with Kornevin’s solution. Remove the cuttings from the solution after about 24 hours, wash them under running water and sprinkle the cut areas with charcoal powder. For rooting, the cuttings are planted in a soil mixture for coniferous crops, deepening them by a third. Then the planted cuttings are watered so that the soil mixture is very well saturated with moisture, and then each cutting is covered on top with a transparent cap (a 3-liter glass jar). Do not forget to clean the shelter for 1-2 hours twice or thrice a week for ventilation. The cuttings should take root after 2 months.
Propagation of Goldcrest Wilma cypress by seeds and cuttings
Appearance of branches of plants of the cypress family.
- Use of seeds. This type of propagation is used in the spring, when the green cones have already opened. Up to 30 seeds ripen in each of them. They must be planted in a moist substrate and placed in a shaded place until germination. The germination rate of cypress seeds is very low. About 7-10 seeds will hatch from one cone. After the sprouts appear, the container must be moved to a lighted place. Caring for them involves moderate watering. After a month, young cypress trees can be planted in separate pots.
- Using cuttings. This method can be used in spring and autumn. To do this, it is necessary to cut off the lignified cuttings and root them in a moist substrate.
Transfer
Young plants are replanted annually in the spring, in April or May; older cypresses are replanted less frequently, as needed. Since the root system of cypress trees does not tolerate any interference, much less disturbance of the earthen coma, replanting is carried out using the transshipment method: in other words, only the soil that is shaken off from the roots of the plant removed from the old pot is replaced. The composition of the soil for cypress is approximately this: one part each of sand, peat and turf soil and two parts leaf soil. At the bottom of the pot, you first need to place a layer of drainage material a few centimeters deep, then a layer of fresh soil, on which the cypress root ball is installed, and then enough soil is added to the pot so that the pot is filled, but so that the root collar of the cypress remains above the ground.
Diseases and pests
Goldcrest Wilma cypress is most often affected by scale insects and spider mites. In this case, the plant must be treated with drugs.
Cypress is quite resistant to diseases. If they occur, it means that the containment conditions have been violated. When overwatered, the tree is affected by various types of rot. With dry air, lack of light or water, the plant begins to dry out.
Monitor your pet regularly and at the slightest sign of disease, achieve comfortable conditions for growing cypress.
This interesting plant requires proper care, but attention and care will reward you not only with its spectacular appearance.
Cypress is able to saturate the air with essential oils that destroy pathogenic microbes.
It has a beneficial effect on the respiratory system, saturating the air with purified oxygen. This evergreen tree can not only create coziness, but also become a real family healer.
Benefits and harms
There is a lot of talk about the beneficial and harmful properties of Goldcrest Wilma cypress. Let's start with the useful ones :
- extraction of essential oil used for aromatherapy, for respiratory diseases and for a beneficial effect on the female body, treating edema, normalizing mood and combating stress;
- tincture of cones is used in folk medicine for inflammatory processes and bleeding;
- needles have a good effect on the nervous system and the respiratory system, producing oxygen and harmonizing the microclimate in the house;
- The wood has a fungicidal effect - it repels small insects.
Cypress is harmful for those who suffer from high blood pressure or have epilepsy.
Planting and caring for cypress (in brief)
- Flowering: decorative deciduous plant.
- Lighting: in the morning - bright diffused light, in the afternoon - partial shade (eastern and northern window sills).
- Temperature: 20-24 ˚C in summer and 5-15 ˚C in winter.
- Watering: regular, moderate in summer, scanty (once a week) in winter.
- Humidity: normal for residential premises.
- Fertilizing: in the spring-summer period - once a month with mineral fertilizers in a concentration twice as weak as recommended.
- Replanting: once every two years in April or May.
- Reproduction: seeds and cuttings.
- Pests: scale insects, false scale insects and spider mites.
- Diseases: due to improper maintenance and care, the needles turn yellow and dull, the branches dry out, and sometimes root rot develops.
Possible difficulties
Root rotting.
Causes:
- excess moisture in the soil.
- lack of drainage.
- Water the plant abundantly in cold weather.
Yellowing of needles and drying of branches.
Causes:
- air pollution.
- insufficient ventilation.
- dry indoor air.
- poor watering.
Stretching of shoots and/or thinning of the crown.
Reason: lack of sunlight.
Sunburn.
Reason: placed in direct sunlight after purchase or winter without prior training.
What is cupressus
An evergreen plant belonging to the cypress family is called cupressus, cypress or cypress. O This is a tree with wrinkled bark, the shade of which varies from dark gray to brown. The branches on a very slender trunk are located in the same plane; adult plants have scaly needles, while young plants have very soft, small needles. Cypress can grow up to several meters in height.
Most often, cupressus is used as a landscape decoration in a country house or garden plot - the tree fits perfectly into the composition of alpine hills and flower beds. It can simply decorate the entrance or replace the New Year tree. Cypress can be planted in open ground and decorative pots.
Benefits of Kochia
Kochia came to the gardening culture a long time ago - back in 1629. But it didn’t take root in our gardens for a long time. The fact is that growing kochia is not an easy task. It is quite capricious; it needs to be grown from seeds every year, and it is better to do this with seedlings, and then plant tender seedlings in the ground. Not all gardeners want to tinker with this plant; many prefer flowers with more decorative qualities.
Kochia is best grown as seedlings
But kohia has a number of advantages.
- The emerald green of summer cypress effectively complements compositions of flowering plants.
- Kochia looks great against the backdrop of stones in a rock garden and decorates alpine slides.
- Kochia makes elegant borders.
- She willingly gives in to a haircut. Even a novice designer can make topiary from kochia using simple scissors.
- Kochia looks great in solitaire plantings.
Green hedge of kochia
Types and varieties of cypress
More recently, it was believed that cypress trees cannot be grown in ordinary housing, but there were flower growers who refuted this misconception. Conifers are increasingly becoming inhabitants of city apartments, not to mention the fact that in private houses with extensive galleries and terraces, cypress trees are one of the most popular living decorative elements. We will present to you the most famous species of the cypress genus, grown as indoor plants.
Arizona cypress (Cupressus arizonica)
A light-loving and drought-resistant species, reaching a height of 15 m in nature. The bark of young shoots is gray, old shoots are dark brown, peeling off over time. The leaves are finely pointed and gray-green in color.
Evergreen cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)
In the wild, only the horizontal form of this species is widespread. Drought-resistant, cold-resistant (if we are talking about short-term cold spells). The crown is pyramidal, the branches are short, ascending, tightly pressed to the trunk. Does not tolerate excess moisture. It has high decorative qualities and is widely used in garden design and indoor decoration. It has two widely used varieties in culture:
- pyramidal cypress (f. pyramidalis, f. stricta) - with a very dense narrow pyramidal crown of ascending branches pressed to the trunk. The needles are arranged crosswise and pressed tightly against the shoots. The cones are round, 2-3 cm in diameter, similar to a small soccer ball;
- horizontal cypress (f. horisontalis) - its branches extend vertically from the trunk, and then rise upward, due to which a wide pyramidal crown is formed.
Lusitanian cypress or Mexican cypress (Cupressus lusitanica)
It is distinguished by a wide pyramidal crown and hanging branches. The bark is red-brown, the branches are tetrahedral. Sensitive to cold, does not tolerate dry soil and air, has many decorative forms:
- Bentham form (Benthamii) - the shoots branch in the same plane, and the needles have different shades - from lush green to bluish, the crown is narrow and regular in shape;
- blue form (glauca) - a variety with needles of a bluish hue and a coating of the same color on the cones;
- sad form (tristis) – columnar crown, flexible branches directed downwards;
- Knight's form (Nightiana) - similar to Bentham's form, but the needles are gray.
Cashmere cypress (Cupressus cashmeriana)
Brought from India, it is very demanding on air and soil humidity, but grows well in indoor conditions.
Large-fruited cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa)
The species most adapted to growing indoors. The crown is pyramidal, the trunk is erect, numerous branches extending horizontally from the trunk are covered with small scales of light or dark green leaves. The lower branches of large-fruited cypress are darker than the upper ones, the cones are 3.8 cm in diameter.
Cupressus Arizonan. Re: Arizona cypress (Cupressus arizonica)
- Arizona cypress, like evergreen, has low frost resistance according to the literature. This is because the data is taken from botanical gardens, and in rare cases from experimental farms, and shows wintering precisely under these conditions. After the winter, in my opinion, 2011-2012, about 80 percent of my trees (5-12 years old) fell out, some remained and are still living well. The temperature was 28 for several hours at night, and then 24 for several days. This is against the backdrop of the fact that from +4 to -26 the drop occurred in a day. Then it remained -18..-20 for a long time. This is northeast of Kerch (Crimea). And that’s not all - the WIND was up to 20 m per second on some days, with such frost. The unstable ones fell out immediately, some remained ill for another six months, and half of the remaining ones were almost without damage. There's just one loss - this year. A 12-14 year old specimen that survived that winter fell. Apparently the wood was damaged then and over the years turned into dust (although new annual layers formed on top of it). And now he couldn’t stand the ice and wind and collapsed. And so - there are horizontal and vertical forms of green cypress, and Arizona cypresses of different habitus, among them is my pride, its narrow pyramidal shape, not a candle, but close)) All are their own seedlings. Only two years have not produced full seeds, maybe this year the germination will be better.