Italian cypress – Xtremehorticulture

Borers in Italian Cypress and What to Do

Leave a Comment / borer, Italian cypress / xtremehorticulture

Q. Good day, Bob. I had 9 mature Italian Cyprus that have all died. Upon inspection by me, I discovered a borer in the trunks. I think it is the flat head borer. Other Italian Cyprus in my north Las Vegas neighborhood are dying as well. Have you heard of anything like this happening in the valley? And any preventive measures? Or is the insect destined to kill all the Italian Cyprus in the valley doomed the insect fate? This was the picture sent to me several years ago when I asked for help identifying borers in Italian cypress. Flatheaded borer damage confirmed. A. Years ago I thought borers was not a problem for Italian cypress. There are many reports from reputable organizations that many of our borers, flat headed apple tree borer and Pacific borer, are primarily attracted to trees damaged by intense sunlight or sunburn. I didn’t think this was a problem for Italian cypress so I thought that Italian cypress was not bothered by these insects. Plus the outside of the trunk is covered with evergreen foliage which should prevent egg laying on the trunks by these insects. Borers in Arizona cypress were well known as a problem. There were many reports of dieback in Italian cypress. http://xtremehorticulture.blogspot.com/2013/10/q.html http://xtremehorticulture.blogspot.com/2011/09/italian-cypress-browing-not-good-sign.html I asked for help from my readers because I wasn’t sure. A few years ago a reader sent me a picture of Italian cypress with damage suspected by flat headed borers. I am now convinced that flat headed board does occur in Italian cypress. Live and learn. The active ingredient is Imidicloprid and a widely used insecticide for many crops. I has been implicated in honeybee colony collapse but has not been proven but has been banned in several countries primarily for this reason. Use of it as a soil drench for killing insects on nonflowering trees is perhaps a good use for it because it has a minimum impact on bees when used this way. The best protection is a soil applied liquid insecticide called a soil drench. One of the manufacturers of this insecticide is Bayer and it is called Tree and Shrub Insect control . Follow the label directions and the manufacturer claims up to twelve months protection with one application.

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Plant Replacements in the Fall or Spring

Leave a Comment / fall planting, how to, Italian cypress / xtremehorticulture

Q. I removed two Italian Cypress trees (harder project than I imagined, especially the stumps). When is a good time to replace them, how big of a hole should I dig, and how should I prepare it? A. I can imagine that was a very difficult job removing Italian cypress. Probably the easiest way to do it, yes I know it’s already done, is to cut it off and rent a stump grinder and grind out the stumps. The wood grinding’s mixed with soil makes a fabulous mulch. The best time to replant is in the fall months but the problem is plant selection. There is usually not much to pick from. The best stuff is gone and the nurseries don’t want to be stuck with anything through the winter and availability of plants from wholesalers is limited to stuff that didn’t sell. But you can still find things if you’re willing to look around. An alternative to Italian cypress is the Skyrocket Juniper. It is hard to find but stays narrow and smaller. They used to be popular 30 or 40 years ago. This is not a desert adapted tree so it will require soil improvement and I would mulch it with wood mulch at the base on top of the soil. I have never seen it planted in our hot desert climate but I don’t see a reason it won’t work with some soil preparation, decent irrigation and wood mulch. http://www.monrovia.com/plant-catalog/plants/1715/skyrocket-juniper/ You should not have a problem planting in the same holes if the Italian cypress he removed was healthy. Dig a hole 3 to 4 times the diameter of the container that the plant comes in. If these holes already have quite a bit of organic matter in them… You can tell by the color… Then don’t add anything. But otherwise mix the soil you take from the hole 50/50 with compost. The best compost out there locally for doing this is Viragrow compost in North Las Vegas. Viragrow compost available in North Las Vegas

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Water Italian Cypress Less Often to Prevent Drooping

Leave a Comment / drooping branches, Italian cypress / xtremehorticulture

Q. Why are the lower libs on Cypress tree drooping? Italian cypress side branches drooping because of watering too often A. I think what you mean by Cypress is Italian cypress. The other tree which people might call Cypress would be the Arizona Cypress which is a totally different tree. Arizona Cypress is used a lot in drier landscapes but is prone to a lot of borer problems, die back and loss of limbs. Italian cypress can “droop” a lot if they are not watered more carefully. The usual reason lower limbs drooping on Italian cypress is because the tree is watered too often. Watering frequently produces succulent growth that does not have the strength to remain upright. Managing irrigations so that they are less often, or smaller amounts more often, should slow the growth and make this growth more erect and less “floppy”.

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