Blue Sapphire Cypress (Cupressus arizonica ‘Carolina Sapphire’)
Question from Gabriele:
Is it possible to keep a sappahire cypress thin and narrow by prunning? I like the soft featherly look but do not have the wide space to plant this tree around my townhouse. I was not sure if this is considered an aggressive type evergreen that cannot be trained.
Answer from Pat:
Blue sapphire cypress tree a blue selection of Arizona cypress (Cupressus arizonica ‘Carolina Sapphire’) needs little pruning. However, most of the cypress trees can be sheared if desired. If you want to do this C. arizonica ‘Pyramidalis’ would be a better choice since it is compact, but might not have the color you like best. ‘Blue Pyramid’ ‘ is another dense foliaged cultivar you might want to look at, since it does have the blue color and is more compact and cylindrical in shape. If you prune these trees, which actually need little pruning, you will lose the feathery look you like.
As a general rule it is always best to choose a tree that is the size of the space one wishes to fill. Nonetheless, these trees make good screens and can be planted closely for that purpose. Also I have seen many cypress trees, including Italian cypress (C. sempervirens) that have been sheared and the result is a compact, smooth, look—not “feathery”,which you mentioned you like. So yes you can prune it narrower if you wish but one must start young and then diligently keep up the job.
Let me give you an example. In the town where I live there is a hedge of mixed cypress species that has been pruned and maintained for over 50 years by the same gardener who works for me. The hedge is about 20 or 25 feet tall and looks like a row of pointed Christmas trees all touching each other half way up their height. They are as smooth as if a giant cake decorator had squeezed their pointed forms out of a giant pastry tube. I find them rather fascinatingly bizarre but not unpleasant to see. Raymundo who is now 70 years old is still climbing ladders and shearing these trees at least twice a year. But I wonder what the owners of those trees will do when he can no longer climb that ladder and do the job?
I’ve been looking up information on Carolina Sapphire evergreen trees and am getting a lot of mixed information. Some sites say theya are hardy in zones 3-9 and other say 7-9. Can you clarify? I am on the border of zones 5-6. Also, how high do they grow? I’ve seen everything from 20 – 60 feet. Thanks
Smooth-barked Arizona cypress (Cupressus glabra ‘Carolina Safire’, C. arizonica ‘Blue Sapphire’) is hardy in USDA zones 7 through 9. Yes climate zones can be confusing. One reason for confusion is that there are two systems of zones, the USDA zones and the Sunset Zones. Sunset Western Garden Book says this tree is adapted to growing in Sunset Zones 7 to 24. If you live within USDA Zones 7 to 9 or Sunset Zones 7 to 24, chances are you can grow this tree. Go to this reliable link: http://hort.ufl.edu/database/documents/pdf/tree_fact_sheets/cupglaa.pdf. Also see the map of the USA which shows where you can grow this tree. And take into consideration that the above-mentioned link says it is currently being devastated by cypress canker, though this may be worse in moist regions and less of a problem in dry climates and soils with good drainage. Since 1993 when that leaflet was written new evidence seems to point to the fact that Arizona cypress is resistant to canker disease, so you might be all right on that score unless you live in the Deep South. Regarding your problem with various heights: The height of this tree may vary from 50 to 70 feet depending on where you live. However, Sunset Western Garden Book says it grows only to 40 feet tall and 20 feet wide. Thus you can know that is how high it grows in the western states. But it may grow as tall as 70 feet tall in one of the southeastern states of the USA where rainfall is greater and the climate moister. Additionally, many trees have wide variations in height. Thus it’s hard to pin down the exact size or height. This is why you find a wide variety of opinions on that score. It all depends on where you live. There is also a problem with common names. When purchasing plants, try to use the entire botanical name along with the cultivar name or you may end up getting something other than what you want. There is more than one cultivar of Arizona cypress. One is called ‘Carolina Sapphire’. Another one is called ‘Blue Ice’. ‘Blue Ice’ grows from 30 to 50 feet tall. ‘Carolina Sapphire’ grows 40 to 60 feet tall. ‘Blue Ice’ is more blue in color than ‘Carolina Sapphire’ but ‘Carolina Sapphire’ has smoother-looking foliage and may have better shape. There is also one called ‘Blue Pyramid’ apparently found in New Zealand. Some people grow all three and notice differences in height and width. I would suggest to plant the type you find locally at a good nursery and be happy with what you get.