How to Grow Lemon Cypress Tree

Grow Lemon Cypress Tree. With its lemony fragrant scent and colors of golden yellow with chartreuse accents, this evergreen is the life of the party. It will thrive in containers with full sun. Provide the right growing conditions, and Lemon Cypress trees will grow and thrive in your home.  

Commonly known as a Monterey Cypress, it is an evergreen conifer that grows in a columnar or cone shape. As it ages, the Monterey cypress spreads, growing broader. When subjected to sea breezes and salt spray, they grow twisted and contortedly. Under regular garden conditions, the cypress grows into a tall, straight tree. 

Characteristics of Cypress or Monterey Cypress

The Lemon Cypress Tree is Monterey Cypress, Ciprés Monterrey, and Conifer. It is from the botanical cypress family of Cupressaceae. The Latin name is Cupressus macrocarpa. Lemon Cypress is hardy in zones 7 to 10. 

A tree with an upright growth habit, the Lemon Cypress is a native of California. It grows under warm, sunny conditions. The foliage consists of tiny, scale-like leaves, adpressed to the branchlets that are 1/16th inches long with a lemon scent. It grows in erect or spreading feather-like plumes. The cones are light tan in a spherical shape, about 1½ inches in diameter, with 8 to 10 tight-fitting scales.   

The stunning foliage color is golden yellow with chartreuse accent colors. The climate for this tree is the subocean climate. The minimum temperature is 46-50°F with an optimal temperature of 71-78°F.  

How to Grow Lemon Cypress Tree – About the Lemon Cypress 

First, the Lemon Cypress Tree plant features and growing conditions:

• Grows in zones 7 to 10 as a perennial
• Plant as an annual in zones 1 to 6 or in a container for indoor growing 
• Indoors provide a space where there is direct Sun for 6+ hours. They do not survive under shade conditions
• Reaches 6 to 8 feet high in ten years with a spread of 1 to 2 feet wide 
• Forms a narrow columnar habit as it grows 
• Prefers cooler temperatures of 55-65°F 
• Foliage is golden yellow with chartreuse accents 
• Requires well-draining soil conditions with a pH of 6.6 to 7.5
• Repot every 4 years when grown indoors in a container using a fast-draining soil mixture
• If planted in the ground, select a site protected from cold, harsh winds  
• Water when the top 1-2 inches of potting mix is dry to the touch. Do not over-water because this may lead to root rot.
• Feed annually or once a year in the early spring with a balanced fertilizer that is a 10-10-10 formula
• Prune in the spring to gently shape the conifer if necessary. 
• Native to California  

Garden Site Selection – Grow Lemon Cypress Tree

Consider the garden site where you would like to plant the Lemon Cypress tree if planting outdoors in zones 7 to 10. Plant it in a sunny location with 6 to 8 hours of direct sun. Avoid shade since Lemon Cypress may not thrive. It needs well-draining soil conditions. 

Tips for How to Grow Lemon Cypress Tree

• Water regularly when growing indoors  
• Cover the soil with moss to prevent water from evaporating  
• Repot every 4 years if grown in a container
• California native 

This concludes our post on growing Lemon Cypress trees. Please tell us what you think about this beautiful plant. Do you have a favorite cypress plant? 

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If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. We are always ready to help. Include your hardiness zone and light requirements with any gardening questions. Thank you for dropping by.   

Mary 

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