The Arizona cypress or Cupressus glabra was introduced to Arizona gardeners in the late 60's. It was billed as a fast-growing, low water tree, and people bought them up. Unfortunately, the nursery workers did not tell us how big they get (40' tall by 20' wide). Consequently, if you drive around Sierra Vista neighborhoods that were landscaped during this period, the cypress have gotten so big that in many cases they have taken over the entire yard. I've heard people say, "Why they were such cute little trees when we planted them. I had no idea they would get so big."

The problem is, the nurseries sell these trees with little or no information. In fact, they sell them as Cupressus arizonica - which could be anything. Nonetheless, they are a good tree for the high desert where we live. They make an excellent windbreak because once established they need no supplemental water. In a neighborhood setting, they make a good screen or accent tree. Once they are established, you will have virtually no trouble with them. It is important that we understand that even though the cypress is an excellent tree for this area and is well adapted to our environment, I would not want to plant one in a six foot wide side yard. The cypress needs room to develop its full rounded graceful form.

At some of your better nurseries, you can get selected forms with uniform growth habits. C.g. 'gareei' has blue-green foliage and C.g, 'pyramidalis' has a compact even growth. With a little planning and selection, the Cupressus glabra can be a wonderful addition to your landscape.