How hardy are cypress trees really?
Cypress trees in the garden can withstand shorter periods of frost. It can go down to minus 15 degrees for a few days, but as soon as the temperatures drop below freezing for a long time, there is a risk that the tree will die.
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An even bigger problem than frost is the water supply in winter. Most damage such as yellow and brown needles or dried up twigs is caused by a lack of water.
Hibernate cypress in the open ground
Cypress trees are winter-proof in sheltered locations where temperatures rarely drop below minus ten degrees. If the location is also a bit sheltered from the wind, you don't need to worry about whether the conifers will survive the winter well.
The situation is different in places that are unprotected and in areas where it often gets very cold in winter. Here you should make sure that the cypress trees are protected from frost.
Protect cypresses from frost
Put a mulch blanket under the trees or hedge. It prevents the soil from drying out too much. The cypress trees themselves protect you by using them
- brushwood
- Burlap
- thick cotton towels
pull over the plants. Plastic foils are only suitable to a limited extent as there is no air exchange and the cypresses can then rot quickly.
Cypresses in the bucket are not winter-proof
If you grow cypresses in the tub on the balcony or terrace, you have to overwinter them frost-free. Temperatures at the winter location should not fall below five degrees.
If you have a sheltered corner on the balcony or terrace, you can leave cypress trees outside during the winter. Provide winter protection by placing the tub on wood or styrofoam and wrapping the plant with burlap. Move the bucket close to a protective wall.
Water regularly even in winter
Even when it gets very cold, the cypress trees are often less troubled by the cold than by the dry ground. It is therefore important that you water cypress trees as a single tree or as a hedge regularly, even in winter.
Use frost-free days to provide the plants with slightly warmed water. This is especially true for potted plants, which dry out even faster in winter.
Tips
If you bring a cypress from the Mediterranean as a souvenir from your vacation, you should by no means put it directly into the field. The tree would not survive a prolonged, frosty winter. You'd better plant such cypresses in a tub right away.
