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Cypress Tree Care and Maintenance for Optimal Growth

Cypress trees are a beautiful addition to any landscape. While some gardeners tend to steer away from planting such species on their properties, proper cypress tree care and maintenance will guarantee a beautiful, healthy tree for many years to come.

While their native environment often requires a wet environment, which is why many believe cypress trees can only be grown in boggy soil, once the tree is established, they can successfully grow in drier climates. They can even endure the occasional drought from time to time.

Cypress trees are fast-growing, and two types are commonly found in the United States: the bald cypress and the pond cypress.

Their tapering base gives them a soaring prominence among other trees and they can grow 50-80 feet tall with a canopy spread of 20-30 feet. Often referred to as a deciduous conifer, they have short needles which appear to have a “feathery” look and feel. Depending on water and soil type, the needles turn a gorgeous yellow or gold color in the fall.

Proper cypress tree care and maintenance typically comes down to one critical factor – where it is planted.

Cypress trees require full sun or partial shade, acidic soil, and often grow best in zones 5 through 10, according to the USDA’s Plant Hardiness Zone Map.

Another thing to consider for proper cypress tree care and maintenance is to ensure newly planted trees are given a good soaking of water with a hose for the first few months. Mulching around the base of the tree will help retain moisture but should not be mounded high up the trunk to reduce the likelihood of root suffocation.

Cypress trees need most of their water in the spring when they emerge and in the fall right before entering dormancy. During times of drought, hand watering with a hose once or twice a month is a good practice.

A critical factor of proper cypress tree care and maintenance is fertilization. If newly planted, do not fertilize the tree until it is a year old and thoroughly established. Typically, if grown in a regularly fertilized lawn area, not much more is needed. If grown elsewhere, fertilizing once a year will help provide the tree’s necessary nutrients.

While cypress trees are strong, they can suffer attacks by pests and diseases.

A fungal attack can cause needle blight, making the needles yellow before dropping off. This usually occurs in late fall and starts on the lower branches.

Cankers (or blisters) can also infect cypress trees and are caused by a fungus entering open or injured bark. The cankers will kill an entire branch, and eventually, the tree if not properly treated.

Regular tree pruning service should also be done to eliminate dead or diseased branches while helping to maintain the structural integrity of the tree.

Bagworms, scale, and spider mites are also common pests plaguing cypress trees.

While all the issues above are treatable through SavATree, ensuring your tree is healthy and hydrated provides the best option for cypress tree care and maintenance.

For questions on caring for your cypress tree, contact SavATree today!

Contact us today to schedule a consultation with an expert arborist.

FAQs

  • Cypress trees such as bald cypress typically grow 50 to 80 feet tall in landscapes, with a narrow, pyramidal canopy spreading 20 to 30 feet. Pond cypress is generally smaller. Both have a broad, tapered base that gives them a stately presence. Plant them in full sun to partial shade with room to grow, away from structures and overhead lines.

  • Yes, cypress trees can grow in dry soil once they are established, even though they are native to swamps and wetlands. Bald cypress and pond cypress adapt well to average, well-drained landscape sites and can tolerate occasional drought. Newly planted trees still need consistent moisture during their first growing season to develop a strong, healthy root system.

  • You should water a newly planted cypress tree deeply and regularly for the first few months, keeping the soil consistently moist. Established cypress trees tolerate drought but benefit from deep watering every week or two during extended hot, dry periods. Apply 2 to 4 inches of mulch around the base, keeping it away from the trunk.

  • You should fertilize a cypress tree only after it has been in the ground for at least a year and is fully established. Trees growing in regularly fertilized lawns usually get enough nutrients already. Cypress trees planted elsewhere benefit from one feeding per year. An ISA Certified Arborist can test your soil and recommend the right fertilizer program.

     

  • Your cypress tree may be losing its needles because bald and pond cypress are deciduous conifers that naturally shed their needles each fall. Needles turn rusty orange or copper before dropping, and new growth returns in spring. Yellowing that starts on lower branches and spreads upward can signal needle blight, so have an arborist inspect the tree.