Our Synonymous Topiaries: Lemon Cypress or Cupressus Macrocarpa

Continuing on with 'Our Synonymous Topiaries' series we are going to take a closer look at one of our most popular sculpted plants after our myrtles, the Lemon Cypress.

Lemon cypress is another name for the "Goldcrest" cultivar (which we grow) of the Monterey cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa), a tree that has a native range limited to the Monterey bay on the coast of central California. The tree is characterized by bright yellow foliage and a narrow, conical habit with a heavy lemon scent. It may grow to be up to 16 feet tall in it's native habitat but here we keep them small and train them as topiaries or hedges ranging from a height of 12" to 3' tall. It is a fairly low-maintenance fast growing plant that grows in spurts as compared to slowly over time. There is less trimming involved then our myrtles and with the upcoming holidays approaching they would make a perfect accent to any decor or style.

The lemon cypress does best in a location that gets at least five hours of full sun per day.
While indoors, keep the cypress near the window for maximum light, south facing would be ideal. Keep the soil moist but not soaking wet to avoid root rot. It's best to keep them somewhere in your home where you can check them every day for maintenance. They like to be fed on a regular basis during the growing season, April through September every two weeks and once a month during the colder months with a 20-20-20 fertilizer.

Our lemon cypress topiaries must be pruned on a regular basis to maintain their natural triangle or sphere shape. When pruned the tips will scab and turn brown, but not to worry this will fade in a short time as the topiary heals and grows.

Besides these few little notes on how to care for your lemon cypress topiary, these easy, fast growing, adaptable plants make the perfect gift for someone special or for your own home! We hope you enjoyed this short closer look at another one of our synonymous topiaries. Stay tuned for in a few weeks we will be focusing on a whole other different type of topiary that we grow right here on the farm!