Cupressus cashmeriana

[Trachycarpus]

Hi All


Does anyone grow Cupressus cashmeriana, or know of it growing anywhere?

Many years ago when I was a young callow youth I purchased from Chiltern Seeds some Cupressus cashmeriana seeds which I managed to germinate successfully. I was aware that they have a juvenile foliage stage and an adult foliage stage but after 25 years and as it is now producing cones I would have expected it to have gorgeous adult foliage.

All it does at present is keep snapping branches which I have to remove, and it's making into a nasty shaped tree. I threaten it with the chainsaw regularly.

My tree sadly blew down in a gale, but this one I planted in a friends garden, and survived, why isn't it looking like it should by now, and why does it look dangerously Leylandii-ish? I couldnt bear it if I thought I had been sold the wrong seed all those years ago.

I'd love people's thoughts on the matter.


Adrian




Close up of the foliage



Where I have to remove broken branches

[Chad]

There is huge confusion horticultural around this botanically distinct species.

'Blue forms' of both Cupressus torulosa and C.funebris go under this name and don't come reliably true from seed.

Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh suggest the true plant is only hardy to 0C. The RHS quote it as hardy to -5C, but that must be in different conditions than mine in Cornwall! I think I have had the 'real plant' once, but not though a winter!

I can't recall a mature example in the open air that was 'true to type' in the UK.

If you know of a 'good form' [whatever its botanical identity] I would suggest growing it from cuttings so you know what you are getting.

Chad.

[Trachycarpus]

Thanks for that Chad. There have been some wicked winters where this gorws in the last 25 years, so taking into account what you've just said I shall now call it "a conifer"..........but I cant get those 25 years back!!!!!!!!


Adrian

[JohnJearrard]

There is a nice one in the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens in Hampshire, so it can be done outside - I think I recall seeing it on Tresco as well.
The clone "cashmeriana" that everybody wants is a beautiful blue weeping conifer that is a real pig to root from cuttings, though occasionally people succeed. It is rarely available commercially and it doesn't come true from seed.
It lasted here for a few years - I lost it in 1987 and have been looking for a replacement ever since.

[JohnJearrard]

Thanks Adrian, for directing my attention back to Cupressus cashmeriana, here is the tree in the Hillier Gardens two years ago:

.

When I checked, the RHS have also planted one at Wisley on Battleston Hill:


.

And still feeling wistful that I had lost mine, I grabbed this one when I saw it at Ashwood Nurseries, Kingswinford, last week.



£30, which I thought was very reasonable (they had one other).

[charlie]

That's a nice looking tree John, but will you be able to see it past the rabbit defenses? :lol:

[JohnJearrard]

Quite by chance, at about the same time I bought the Cupressus, I met a man with a taste for rabbit pie so I have some hope!

[Trachycarpus]

That's a lovely specimen you have just bought there John. I can see now that my tree should have looked more like the ones i see in pictures much earlier on in its life. I guess it will stay, until a gale blows it down, then it will make good firewood at least.


Thanks

Adrian