Tree
Arizona Cypress
Hesperocyparis arizonica (syn. Cupressus arizonica)
A blue-gray evergreen pyramid for screens and windbreaks in hot, dry places.
- Native
- Evergreen
- Deer-resistant
Quick facts
- Hardiness
- USDA zones 7–11
- Water
- Low once established
- Sun
- Full sun
- Size
- 40–60 ft tall × 15–20 ft wide
- Bloom & interest
- Blue-gray evergreen foliage in a pyramidal form; red-brown peeling bark on older trees
- Plant type
- Tree
- Native range
- Native to Arizona, New Mexico, west Texas, southern California and northern Mexico
Why we recommend it
A fast, drought-tolerant native evergreen for screens and windbreaks, with blue-gray foliage (brightest in 'Blue Ice' and 'Carolina Sapphire').
Best regions: SouthwestTexasSouthern California
How to grow it
Watering to establish
Deep-water every 1–2 weeks the first two summers; established trees need little.
Pruning
Needs little; do not shear into bare wood.
Soil
Well-drained soil; poor drainage and overhead irrigation invite canker and root rot.
Pairs well with
Read more
Where to buy
Shop Arizona Cypress from trusted growers. For the best selection of xeric plants, try a mail-order specialist or ask a local independent nursery.
- High Country Gardens (opens in a new tab)Xeric specialist
- Nature Hills Nursery (opens in a new tab)Wide selection
- American Meadows (opens in a new tab)Perennials & seeds
- Etsy (opens in a new tab)Small growers
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