The winter landscape can come alive with a beauty all its own. This only happens, however, if we choose the right plants. One you might want to consider is the smooth Arizona cypress.
Known for its classic Christmas-tree shape, the smooth Arizona cypress offers compact, beautiful, blue-green foliage.
The small scale-like leaves are dotted with tiny white flecks. the flecks are actually resin glands that yield an evergreen fragrance.
The red stems offer an attractive contrast to the blue-green foliage.
Grow smooth Arizona cypress in a site that provides as much sun as possible. They perform well in almost any soil, acidic or alkaline, as long as it is well drained. Raised beds are ideal. It is very drought tolerant once established, but pay attention to watering during the first year.
Smooth Arizona cypress is an extremely ornamental tree. A single specimen or a small group makes a dramatic statement in the landscape. They can also be used for windbreaks or privacy screens.
There are several varieties in the marketplace. Look for blue ice, carolina sapphire and blue pyramid.
The winter landscape needs evergreens to really look its best, and when you can choose a blue-green foliaged form like the smooth Arizona cypress, your landscape will be the envy of the neighborhood. I’m Norman Winter for Southern Gardening.