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Coniferous tree species are increasingly attracting landscape designers and ordinary gardeners - Boulevard cypress is one of the brightest representatives. These plants remain decorative all year round and have different shapes and sizes. The characteristics of many varieties allow them to be planted in different climatic conditions.
Description of Boulevard cypress
Cypress trees are a genus of the Cypress family, they are trees and shrubs with needles of a characteristic structure, come in different heights and are characterized by slow growth. They are found naturally only on the Japanese Islands. They are slightly different from cypresses - their branches are located in the same plane, they have small cones and increased resistance to cold. They like it on soils with sufficient moisture levels.
Their wood is of very high quality; many varieties of these plants have been bred.One of them is Bulevard (also called Bulevar or Boulevard) - with awl-shaped needles reaching 5 cm in length, the shoots are slightly bent inward at the ends. In winter, the Boulevard cypress becomes grayer. This variety in the description has a beautiful blue color with a silver tint.
Cypress Boulevard can be seen in the photo:
Dimensions of Boulevard cypress
The tree grows up to 5 m in height, but grows very slowly, which is typical for almost all representatives of the genus. This is especially noticeable at a young age. On average, the Boulevard pea-bearing cypress grows 10 cm per year, which allows it not to lose its decorative effect for a long time. The crown of the tree is symmetrical, in the shape of a pin.
Winter hardiness of Boulevard cypress
Cypress pea boulevard is a frost-resistant variety, but in Siberia and the Urals it can freeze. In regions with harsh winters, it needs shelter. Due to this characteristic, it is widespread in England, which does not have a warm climate.
Boulevard cypress in landscape design
Cypress pea Boulevard is very popular among landscape designers. This is due to its smooth shoots of a bluish tint, which look very decorative, as well as its resistance to diseases, pests and frost. Cypress is often used in rocky gardens. As a rule, it is adjacent to juniper and thuja against the backdrop of large boulders - this is a favorite technique of designers. Coniferous compositions with cypress pea Bulevar look very impressive.
Planting cypress pea Boulevard
Cypress thrives in a humid coastal climate.Dry air and lack of moisture cause him significant discomfort. Regions such as Astrakhan, Volgograd, Saratov regions will not be very favorable for its cultivation. In general, planting and caring for Boulevard cypress is not difficult. The plant should receive about 400 mm of precipitation during the summer season. If this indicator is not achieved, then additional watering is necessary.
When planted in a dry and shaded place, the cypress tree may die. Also, you should not place it next to large trees that can oppress a young bush with their developed root system. Proximity to the surface of groundwater and stagnation of moisture will also become negative factors.
The ideal place for planting the Boulevard pea-bearing cypress variety would be a sunny place with fertile, moist soil. Gentle slopes in the southern and western directions, protected from strong winds, are well suited.
Landing dates
Cypress pea Boulevard is usually planted in early spring, after the soil has warmed up, but autumn preparation of the planting hole is required. Fertilizers are added there and covered with film for the winter so that the contents are well rotted. In terms of timing, it is important to arrive at the moment when the earth has already warmed up, but the trees and shrubs have not yet begun to grow.
Soil preparation
Boulevard cypress requires fertile soils with good drainage, but at the same time sufficiently moist. The acidity level should be at 5 pH. It is easily achieved by adding peat to the soil.Since the tree will receive nutrients from the soil for several more years, care should be taken to apply fertilizers. A mixture of turf soil, sand and peat is placed in the planting hole in a ratio of 1:1:2.
Preparation of planting material
Cypress pea Boulevard is purchased for many years, so the choice of seedling should be approached responsibly. It is best to purchase plants in special nurseries, where you can also consult with specialists. The most important thing is to inspect the roots of the seedling when purchasing - they should not be open, because the cypress tree will die at the slightest drying out.
Unscrupulous sellers may display containers with replanted plants. To check the quality of the seedling, you need to turn the container upside down - in normal specimens the soil does not spill out, but the earthen lump falls out entirely. The branches should be flexible and the needles should be dry to the touch.
Landing rules
The planting pit is prepared in the fall. The size is maintained within 90 cm depth and 60 cm width. At the bottom there is a 20 cm layer of drainage made of gravel or expanded clay. When planting Boulevard cypress, you must ensure that the root collar rises 15 cm above the soil layer. The seedling is fixed at a support and mulched with wood chips or peat.
Caring for Boulevard cypress
Although the Cypress pea Boulevard is not very demanding in care, it is necessary to follow some rules. The main characteristics of this plant require attention to watering, pruning and wintering.
Watering and fertilizing
One of the important factors in cypress agricultural technology is watering. It must be regular and abundant to maintain the required level of soil moisture.Cypress pea Boulevard reacts extremely poorly to heat and dryness. About 10 liters of water should fall under one plant per week. If the tree is in a hot climate, then water it several times a week.
Cypress pea Boulevard is very good at sprinkling; it should be done early in the morning or in the evening, but so that the needles have time to dry before nightfall. Too much humidity will cause fungal and bacterial infections. After watering, it is necessary to loosen the soil and remove weeds, if they are.
The first fertilizing with organic matter and mineral complexes is done 3 months after planting. For a young tree, the concentration is half as much, so as not to burn the tender and fragile roots. Adult plants are fertilized from spring to mid-summer, every two weeks. All feeding is stopped at the end of July to allow the tree to prepare for winter.
Trimming Boulevard cypress
Cypress pea Boulevard requires regular pruning. In early spring, frozen and dry shoots are removed - these are sanitary measures. At the same time, formative pruning can also be carried out.
The current year's growth is removed in the fall by about a third of its length. This way they add density to the crown. Pruning to give shape is carried out no earlier than a year after planting the seedling or replanting the plant.
Preparing for winter
Frost-resistant varieties, which include the Boulevard pea cypress, are covered for the winter only for the first 3–4 years after planting. This is done not so much for protection from the cold, but as a cover from bright sun rays, especially in spring. Acrylic, kraft paper or burlap are used as covering materials.
In Siberia and the Urals, the pea-bearing cypress Boulevard may not survive the cold, so it is put out in a large tub outside in the summer, and with the onset of cold weather it is brought into the house. In warm areas such as Moldova, Crimea or Ukraine, it grows in open ground and does not need any shelter.
Why do the needles of the Boulevard cypress turn yellow?
In cypress trees, pines and thujas, the needles stay on the tree for 3-8 years, then turn yellow and fall off naturally. This becomes especially noticeable in the depths of the crown; such debris must be cleaned manually or washed off with a stream of water from a hose.
In addition to natural reasons, the fact that the Boulevard cypress has turned yellow inside may be associated with a number of problems. In this case, the completely green color of the tree will not be restored in the spring. The most common causes of yellowing needles:
- Fungal diseases - it is necessary to urgently treat the plant with Bordeaux mixture or the preparations Fundazol, Komandor or Ordan.
- There are not enough nutrients - in this case, the pea cypress should be fed with a complex fertilizer containing magnesium.
- Dry or waterlogged soil requires either watering or removing excess moisture.
- Sunburn - seedlings after moving into the ground must be shaded from direct sunlight.
- Smoke - Cypress pea Boulevard does not react well to smoke, so you should burn garden waste away from it, and then spray the plant with a hose.
Reproduction
Boulevard cypress can be propagated in various ways:
Seeds. They remain viable for up to 15 years. Seeds are either sown immediately in open ground or grown at home. In any case, the soil should be light. When planting at home, seeds are stratified using a refrigerator or a cool room. Cypress is sown in the ground in the fall. The seedlings are watered moderately, trimmed if necessary, and gradually accustomed to cold weather. In the fall, they are moved to the ground and left to overwinter under cover.
Cuttings. To do this, cut the shoots into cuttings of 15 cm each and plant them in a loose substrate. It is better to place the containers in a greenhouse. The pea cypress will take root in 2 months, then it should be planted in open ground.
By layering. The lower shoots are dug in and wait for rooting. The next year the bush can be separated from the parent plant.
Diseases and pests
Cypress pea Boulevard is quite resistant to pests and diseases. But due to improper care or choice of planting site, it may be subject to their negative effects. The most common insects that attack the plant:
- Spider mite - a sign is yellowed and falling needles, from which the pest sucks out nutrients. Treatment with insecticides helps.
- Shields — plant sap also serves as a source of food for them. The most effective remedy for them is Nuprid.
If there are too many pests and the tree is severely damaged, then it is better to cut it down and burn it. In this way, infection of healthy cypress trees can be prevented.
The most common disease is root rot. It occurs due to stagnation of water in the roots.This can be avoided by making a sufficient drainage layer when planting. The diseased tree is dug up, the roots are cut to healthy tissue, treated with a fungicide and transplanted to another place.
Reviews of Boulevard cypress
Conclusion
Cypress pea Boulevard occupies an honorable place in many gardening farms. Its stability and unpretentiousness contribute to the spread of this plant. The Boulevard variety is suitable for those who want to follow fashion trends in garden design or simply have a spectacular plant in their garden.
