Plant Library
Observatory Arizona Cypress Cupressus arizonica 'Observatory' Height: 30 feet Spread: 20 feet
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 6b Other Names: Smooth Cypress, syn. Cupressus glabra Description: A somewhat rounded and upright accent tree featuring silvery blue-green foliage; bark continually flakes away to reveal attractive orange-red inner bark; use as a solitary accent in the landscape or a large garden, very hard to miss all season long Ornamental Features Observatory Arizona Cypress is primarily valued in the landscape for its decidedly oval form. It has attractive bluish-green foliage with hints of silver. The fragrant scale-like sprays of foliage are highly ornamental and remain bluish-green throughout the winter. The smooth red bark and orange branches add an interesting dimension to the landscape. Landscape Attributes Observatory Arizona Cypress is a dense evergreen tree with a strong central leader and a shapely oval form. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which can make it a great accent feature on this basis alone. This is a relatively low maintenance tree, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. It has no significant negative characteristics. Observatory Arizona Cypress is recommended for the following landscape applications; Planting & Growing Observatory Arizona Cypress will grow to be about 30 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 20 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 2 feet from the ground, and should not be planted underneath power lines. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 60 years or more. This tree should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for xeriscaping or the moisture-conserving landscape. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in sandy soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selection of a native North American species.
