A Selection of Cupressus

These true Cypressus have a number of species that have produced very attractive garden forms. The Cupressus arizonica selections are the hardiest of this genus with macrocarpa producing the greatest variation of the genus.

Rooting is used to propagate some selections but I believe grafting onto Cupressus x leylandi to be the best method of propagation. The root system is strong and there are no compatibility problems. Selections grafted onto Juniperus and Thuja often exhibit an overgrowth syndrome where the cultivar outgrows the understock and the weakened root system causes the plant to eventually blow over.

Cupressus arizonica 'Chaparral' showing the graft union with Cupressus x leylandi 'Castlewellan' understock.

 Cupressus arizonica grafted onto Thuja orientalis in Hungary

Cupressus arizonica 'Arctic'

A small tree that is broadly pyramidal and not exceptionally dense; grows about 40 cm per year; growing tips are white during the spring and into the summer making a nice contrast with the dark, emerald green foliage; a seedling selection offered by Duncan & Davies Nursery, New Plymouth, New Zealand in 1984. z7

 Cupressus arizonica 'Blue Ice'

A columnar selection with fine, almost juvenile foliage; selected for its intensely blue color; first offered by Duncan & Davies Nursery, New Plymouth, New Zealand in 1984

Cupressus arizonica 'Blue Pyramid'

A pyramidal tree of only moderate density; silvery-grey foliage is fine textured; seedling selection made in 1972 by Ken Burns, Timaru, New Zealand and introduced by Duncan & Davies Nursery, New Plymouth, New Zealand. z7

Cupressus arizonica 'Blue Streak'

A dense, conical tree; grows about 20 cm per year; has blue foliage and demonstrates a climatically influenced mature shape that is characteristic in Australia, warmer areas it is narrowly columnar, being about 1 m wide when 3 m tall and almost cylindrical in outline, but in the cooler areas around Melbourne, Australia it is typically pyramidal; found as a seedling by Vic Levey of Queensland, Australia, and introduced in the late 1970's

Cupressus arizonica 'Chaparral'

A dense, broadly columnar selection; foliage is fine, almost juvenile, and creamy-white, does not burn in the full sun; discovered as a seedling by John Emery, Drue Nursery, Berry, New South Wales, Australia, and introduced about 1980; strikes from cuttings better than the species. z7

 Cupressus arizonica 'Conica Aurea' as observed growing in an English garden. It grows large but is very dense and has a sulphur yellow color.

Cupressus arizonica 'Spire'

A synonym for 'Angaston', it forms an upright blue tree with all of the branches hanging down along the trunk; after ten years the height can be 6 m with a width from .5 m to 2 m; found as a seedling in the Barossa Valley, South Australia in 1980. z7

  This plant is identical to 'Raywood's Weeping' in my garden. I believe these to be synonymous.

   Cupressus arizonica 'Sulphurea' grows much slower than the other arizonica selections, about 6" (12-15 cm) per year and becomes a dense, narrow pyramid of sulfur yellow foliage that will not burn in the full sun. It was first offered by Renault Freres Nursery, Gorron, France.

 Cupressus cashmeriana 'Glauca' becomes a large tree and is excptionally attractive. Unfortunately the hardiness limits its use in northern gardens.

Cupressus lusitanica 'Blue Swirl'

An upright plant with compact, fern-like foliage; about 3 m high and 1 m wide at ten years; has a green-blue color; introduced about 1986, it was a seedling off of 'Mossvale' that was selected by Peter Nitschke, Hahndorf, South Australia. z9

 Cupressus lusitanica 'Glauca Pendula' matures as a large tree with blue foliage and pendulous branches. The bark on the new growth is purple in color. It originated at Hillier Nursery in Winchester, England about 1925.

Cupressus macrocarpa 'Beaufront'

A selection that grows flat and dense with a very dark color, an occasional upright branch has been observed, which may be a result of climate or adverse growing conditions; grows about 20 cm per year; foliage is dark green; one specimen belonging to Jeff Koelweyn is 3 m wide after ten years and has ascending branches, giving it a vase shape; a witches'-broom discovered by Ron Radford and Peter Nitschke at Beaufront Estate in Tasmania it was introduced about 1981 and is one of a group of Cupressus macrocarpa brooms with similar characteristics- 'Greenstead Magnificent', 'Jade', and 'Ross'. z8

Cupressus macrocarpa 'Brunnianna Variegated'

A selection that grows as wide as high with an irregular outline; in ten years it will be about 6 m high by 5 m wide; discovered by John Emery, Drue Nursery, Berry, New South Wales, Australia, it is a white variegated form of 'Brunniana Aurea' that shows its variegation best when grown in light shade. z8

Cupressus macrocarpa 'Chandleri' Very dense and broadly columnar, striking in the landscape with a slightly irregular outline when viewed from a distance and is extremely wind hardy and salt resistant; grows about 50 cm per year; dark green foliage lays on an angle and swirls around the perimeter of the plant; an old time cultivar that originated in Chandler's Nursery, Hobart, Tasmania. z8

 Cupressus macrocarpa 'Donard's Gold' is a bright gold selection that grows large and broad.

 Cupressus macrocarpa 'Goldcrest' is a newer selection with bright gold foliage. Some descriptions describe as semi-prostrate but it is upright and fairly broad in its growth habit.

 Cupressus macrocarpa 'Greenstead Magnificent' was discovered as a blue witches' broom. It is not at all dwarf but its color is striking and it grows much broader than high.

Cupressus macrocarpa 'Saligna Aurea'

Discovered as a seedling at the turn of the century by Hodgins Nursery, Victoria, Australia (est. 1892). Incorrectly distributed as 'Coneybearii Aurea'. z8

 Cupressus nootkatensis 'Green Arrow' is an exceptionally narrow selection of weeping Alaskan cedar that was made at a forestry research station in British Columbia.

Cupressus sempervirens 'Swane's Golden'

A narrowly columnar tree with dense, upright branching and bright  yellow foliage; originated at Swane Brothers Nursery near Sydney, Australia in 1944 and was introduced by them in 1956.

 Cupressus sempervirens 'Swane's Golden' to the right and Cupressus arizonica 'Gold Pillar' to the center.

 Cupressus sempervirens 'Tiny Tower'

 A very slow growing, exceptionally narrow pyramid that has been patented ad marketed by Monrovia Nursery.

Cupressus sempervirens 'Totem'

An upright, columnar spire; in ten years 4 m high and 50 cm wide; dark green, ascending foliage; a seedling selection from v. stricta made about 1984 by Trevor Davies and Cyril Watson of Eastwood Hill, New Zealand. z8

 Cupressus sempervirens 'Swane's Variegated'

 Cupressus torulosa 'Nana'

This selection is a globular plant that does become pyramidal with age; reaches a diameter of about 1.5 m in ten years; foliage is light green; an old cultivar, it is a good landscape form. z9

Cultivars of Cupressus x leylandi

A photographic survey

 Cupressus x leylandi 'Castlewellan' is an old cultivar with dull, golden foliage. It makes a great understock for the grafting of Cupressus cultivars.

 Cupressus x leylandi 'Fern Gold'

 A juvenile foliage sport of 'Castlewellan' with a slower growth habit and a nice, dense, conical shape.

 Cupressus x leylandi 'Gold Rider'

 A slow-growing selection with a fairly open, horizontal branching structure; foliage is bright gold and does not burn; found as a mutation in a Boskoop, The Netherlands nursery before 1985.

 Cupressus x leylandi 'Gold Rider'

 A slow-growing selection with a fairly open, horizontal branching structure; foliage is bright gold and does not burn; found as a mutation in a Boskoop, The Netherlands nursery before 1985.

 Cupressus x leylandi 'Gold Rider' and 'Stapehill'

 Cupressus x leylandi 'Greenspire'

 Cupressus x leylandi 'Greenspire', 'Hagerston Grey', 'Lleighton Green'

 Cupressus x leylandi 'Hagerston Grey'

 Cupressus x leylandi 'Hagerston Grey', 'Silver Dust', 'Stapehill'

Cupressus x leylandi 'Mellow Yellow' 

 This sport of 'Naylor's Blue' has a yellowish cast to its foliage with undertones of blue-green producing a unique coloration on a fast growing plant.

 Cupressus x leylandi 'Naylor Blue'

 Cupressus x leylandi 'Naylor Blue' and 'Hagerston Grey'

 Cupressus x leylandi 'Robinsons Gold'

 Cupressus x leylandi 'Sirebo'

 Cupressus x leylandi 'Silver Dust', 'Greenspire', 'Stapehill'

Cupressus x leylandii 'Silver Dust'

A fast growing selection that rapidly develops into a small tree with dense foliage which becomes broadly conical as it matures; grows up to 60 cm per year; dark green foliage with patches of white variegation throughout; discovered as a branch mutation on 'Leighton Green' at the United States National Arboretum, Washington, DC, U.S.A. in 1960. z7

 Cupressus x leylandi 'Silver Dust', 'Naylor Blue'

 Cupressus x leylandi 'Stapehill'

 Cupressus x leylandii 'Star Wars'

A tall, broad, fairly dense pyramid; a typical 'Castlewellan' with white variegated foliage evenly distributed throughout the plant which is consistent without any signs of reverting back to the original color on scattered branches; originated as a branch sport at Coolwyn Nurseries, Monbulk, Victoria, Australia and introduced by Coolwyn Conifers, Monbulk, Victoria, Australia about 1993. It is very similar to a Dutch introduction named 'Sirebo', but, according to Aad Vergeer, Boskoop, Holland, the variegation in 'Star Wars' is in smaller patches and appears to be more stable. z7

Lesser known species and hybrids of Cupressus

 Cupressus funebris 'Aurea'

 Cupressus fenebris

 Cupressus x notabilis

 Cupressus x ovensii

Counter Started June 3, 2005