European Cypress

[Chisai Ki]

Merry Christmas!

My wife came home with a small tree she was given as a gift for Christmas. It is a European Cypress (chamaecyparis lawsoniana “Ellwoodii”). What do I do with it? I cannot plant it outside as it appears that it will not survive this far north. The soil is damp, but the tree is very brittle and seems to break easily. Should I replant it an actual pot now? Prune it a bit? What do you think?

Thank you!

 

[coachspinks]

You sometimes see these sold as bonsai. I would not repot or prune it now. It is an outdoor tree, but you are correct that your area is just north of their hardiness zone. Do you have a garage that stays above freezing, maybe even into the 40's. If so, that is probably the best spot for it until warmer weather.

The brittleness is worrisome. That indicates it may be in trouble.

 

[Chisai Ki]

Can this tree be bonsai’d and kept smaller? And as far as wintering, the garage is dark and stays between 40-50 as a low in the coldest outside temps.

 

[coachspinks]

I have heard that there are some older specimens out there but all I have seen are the small ones like you have. Your garage should be fine but I am worried that it was indoors for too long. Remember, it probably sat in a big box store for a while before your wife bought it.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I cannot plant it outside as it appears that it will not survive this far north.

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana is cold hardy to Zone 5. It is supposedly good up to Green Bay

 

[Chisai Ki]

Here is as picture of the little guy…. It appears that the breaking/broken leaves and pieces might have come to an end. Maybe they were damaged at the store or in the ride home. I have it in the basement right now under a gentle amount of light. The basement is 65-degrees. So, is this an ok spot for it, or would the 50-degree, dark garage be better?

 

[Chisai Ki]

I took a picture of the soil. Seems to be peat moss with some sand mixed in. It is very thick and has a slimy appearance to it. What do you think?

 

[Chisai Ki]

I raked the peat a bit on top to break up the slimy-looking layer to make sure water would evenly soak all of the pot. I watered and have it under a grow light with some other plants (non-bonsai trees). I barely brushed it checking on another plants and several small tips of the branches broke off. I am still a bit confused on what might be happening with this tree.

 

[stubmle]

Foliage looks kinda pallid. Maybe it was at the store a long time and didn't get watered? I've run into that before, trees that were already dead and didn't know it yet.

 

[Chisai Ki]

Egads! Dead and didn’t know it yet is very descriptive. I will see if it all goes brown.