Chamaecyparis lawsoniana
| Chamaecyparis lawsoniana | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 6 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 82' |
| Width: | 13' |
| Speed: | Moderate |
| Blooms: | Early Spring-Mid Spring |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Shelter | |
| Medicinal Rating: | |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Chamaecyparis lawsoniana (common name: lawson cypress)
Propagation: Seed - sow March/April in a seedbed outdoors[1]. The seed is best sown in pots in a frame[K]. Seed can take 18 months to germinate. One month warm then one month cold stratification has produced good results[2]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter, planting them out in late spring after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings in late summer or autumn in sandy soil in a cold frame[3][4][5]. Difficult, it may be best done in late winter to early spring[2].
Cultivation: Succeeds in most soils and situations, but prefers a moist deep loamy soil and a sheltered position[3][4]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Survives on dry alkaline soils[5]. Growth of trees is hardly affected by a lack of phosphate in the soil. Plants are moderately shade tolerant, especially when young[6][5]. Plants are tolerant of atmospheric pollution according to one report[5], whilst another says that they do not do well in a polluted atmosphere[3]. A fairly wind tolerant plant, but it does not like severe maritime exposure[7]. Plants are susceptible to wind burn and recover variably[7].
This species is hardy to about -25°c[5].
A fairly long-lived tree in the wild with specimens 500 - 600 years old[8]. It is a very valuable timber tree in N. America and it is sometimes cultivated as a forestry tree in Britain, where it occasionally self-sows[3][4]. It establishes well and grows quickly. New shoots can make 1 metre in a year but trees rarely maintain that rate and 30cm is nearer the average[9]. New growth starts very slowly in April, speeds up in June and ceases in September[9].
A very uniform species in the wild[5], in cultivation it is polymorphic and there are many named varieties[3][9][5].
The crushed foliage has a pungent smell[10].
Favoured by many birds for roosting, providing high cover and especially for nesting, large specimens of this tree help to attract songbirds to the garden[5].
Trees are notably susceptible to honey fungus[5].
Range: Western N. America - Oregon to California. Locally naturalized in S. Europe[11].
Habitat: Usually scattered in small groves on moist slopes and canyons, often on serpentine soils, below 1500 metres. Seldom more than 50 kilometres from the coast[12][13].
Medicinal: The resin is a powerful diuretic[14][15][13].
Usage: Plants can be grown as a tall hedge[16][7][5] They are very tolerant of clipping so long as this does not extend into the brown barked wood since trees cannot regenerate from this[5]. Any trimming should be done in the summer[5].
Certain dwarf forms can be used for ground cover, the cultivars 'Knowefieldensis', 'Nidiformis' and 'Tamariscifolia' have been recommended[17].
The branches have been used to make brooms[18].
Wood - very close-grained, hard, strong, durable, easily worked, light, abounding in fragrant resin, acid resistant. One of the world's finest timbers, it is widely used for flooring, fencing, making boats etc[14][15][13][19]. It is now in short supply due to over-harvesting without replanting[5].
Pollinators: Wind
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Wind: Tolerates strong winds
Pollution: Tolerates environmental pollution.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Seed Ripens: Early Fall-Mid Fall
Flower Type: Monoecious
Heavy Clay: Grows in heavy-clay soils.
Also Known As: Cupressus lawsoniana.
Links
References
- ↑ Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Dirr, Michael and Charles Heuser. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press, 1987.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Rushforth, Keith. Conifers. Batsford, 1991.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Rosewarne Experimental Horticultural Station. Shelter Trees and Hedges. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, 1984.
- ↑ Elias, Thomas. The Complete Trees of North America. Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1980.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Mitchell, Alan. Conifers in the British Isles. Stationery Office Books, 1975.
- ↑ Genders, Roy. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale, 1994.
- ↑ Tutin, Tom et al.. Flora Europaea. Cambridge University Press, 1964.
- ↑ Munz, David. A California Flora. University of California Press, 1959.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Sargent, Charles. Manual of the Trees of North America. Dover, 1965.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Shepherd, F. W.. Hedges and Screens. Royal Horticultural Society, 1974.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Plants for Ground Cover. Everyman, 1990.
- ↑ Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ Hill, Albert. Economic Botany. The Maple Press, 1952.