Anyone who has ever been to Tuscany knows this sight: Very slender, upright growing conifers tower up. planted in avenues, up to 35 meters in height. This majestic sight is typical not only of the Italian region but of large parts of the Mediterranean area. Due to their large distribution area, the columnar cypresses are not called Mediterranean cypresses for nothing. The trees are also often planted in our latitudes, but they have to be pruned regularly due to their very rapid growth. So that you don't do anything wrong, we have created this simple guide for you.
The columnar cypress should be shaped once a year
Prune Tuscany cypress in late summer if possible
The ideal time to prune a columnar cypress is late summer, between the end of August and the end of September. If the weather is still mild enough, you can still pull out the pruning shears in October. In addition, cypresses should be pruned as early as possible in the morning, as at this time there is no danger of drying out due to intense sunlight - the otherwise quite insensitive trees unfortunately react sensitively to this.
Do not cut back cypresses too much
Columnar cypresses should not be cut back too much, and it is better not to cut off the top. Instead, you should follow the natural shape of the tree when pruning, rather than forcing it into an unnatural corset. When cutting, always make sure that a few branches with needles remain on them - from these the columnar cypress will sprout again. If the tree gets too tall, cut off branches in general - but if possible not the top! In this case, the cypress would sprout in all directions and lose its typical columnar growth habit.
Cut back against brown spots
Brown spots on cypress trees are usually a sign of a lack of water. If these spots appear after the winter, the cause is not frostbite, but a lack of moisture during the cold months. Brown spots do not disappear even through regular watering, the only countermeasure that helps is an appropriate pruning. The columnar cypress will then sprout again and cover the formerly bare or brown areas with fresh green.
tips
If a strong pruning should be necessary, it is advisable to spread this over several years. This gives the tree a chance to recover from the intervention in the meantime and you can more easily determine the natural growth habit.