Ideas on this Lemon Cypress?

Hey everyone! Having brought this lemon cypress I am now trying to decide what to do with it. I think it should maybe be shorter? Not sure how to develop it. Any ideas and advice would be appreciated. I hope I haven't cut too much off it as I'm not sure if these will grow much. Their brethren appear to be rubbish at back budding(?). Not sure on these in that respect.

Should I make a twin trunk or dead wood or something completely different? Started off thinking of making the right branch deadwood and putting some movement into the left trunk with a make shift branch bender I'm planning to cobble together here, but saw the potential for a twin trunk 6 hours in.

These are super flexible! Looks a bit thin for scale right now though and can't see it thickening in a pot this size for years :0/ Have left the top with foliage so that the trunk can be shortened further accounting for the lack of growth/back budding (in case this is the case with these trees). Also couldn't get the spacing right for the branches either side of tge trunk so really hoping it will bud and branch. Haven't looked at the nebari yet. Just waiting to see if it takes this abuse first!

Bill Valavanis bought one from the grocery store last Christmas and wired it then put it in the greenhouse for the winter. It would appear that you would care for them much like a procumbens nana.

twisted trees said:

Bill Valavanis bought one from the grocery store last Christmas and wired it then put it in the greenhouse for the winter. It would appear that you would care for them much like a procumbens nana.

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Great advice twisted trees. Will check if he did any posts on it

FYI, lemon cypress is not a species; it's a cultivar of Monterey Cypress - that may help when searching for care info.
I recently threw a few into a group planting/forest at the nursery. I'm not sure which variety these are.



I can't imagine they do very well indoors long term, especially as a bonsai.

ColinFraser said:

FYI, lemon cypress is not a species; it's a cultivar of Monterey Cypress - that may help when searching for care info.
I recently threw a few into a group planting/forest at the nursery. I'm not sure which variety these are.

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I can't imagine they do very well indoors long term, especially as a bonsai.

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Thanks man. I know Goldcrest right?

ColinFraser said:

FYI, lemon cypress is not a species; it's a cultivar of Monterey Cypress - that may help when searching for care info.
I recently threw a few into a group planting/forest at the nursery. I'm not sure which variety these are.

View attachment 136089

I can't imagine they do very well indoors long term, especially as a bonsai.

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Definitely not. This will go outdoors in the winter here. Do you have any tips on how to tell if it is too hot or arid for these? The needles will get harder right?

Are there multiple cultivars that have the lemon scent?

Aiki_Joker said:

Thanks man. I know Goldcrest right?

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Aiki_Joker said:

Are there multiple cultivars that have the lemon scent?

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I think there's 'Goldcrest' and 'Goldcrest Wilma', which is very dwarfed. Those that I was just working with aren't either of those I don't think, but they still have a vaguely citrusy smell when crushed, so the may be others.

Aiki_Joker said:

Do you have any tips on how to tell if it is too hot or arid for these? The needles will get harder right?

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Not sure. I live so close to their native range that there aren't issues here - they grow in the freeway median

Thanks for the comments gents most appreciated

Hi guys and gals. Hope all is well. Any comments on this? What would have been a better decision in your view? Photos are not ideal for making decisions I guess but any advice would be appreciated.

It has put on some growth and there is time to process the other side now. Lost one of these alrwsdy here so being extra vigilant!

Looks quite balanced, this specimen seems apically dominant and I didn't think out the top growth enough last time. I reckon pinching this foliage is a good idea. All the dieback is quite visible from cutting. Still having difficulties thinning out the top growth to try and balance it. Not used to working with this type of foliage. Lots of pinching done this time and hoping this will fill out the foliage pads in the coming months.



It looks like back budding on the inner branches is possible, but not probable. I had one or two new growth sites on the inner branches close to the trunk here. Main biomass is apical and on green shoots.

I don't think these guy wires will fix the branches very fast (if at all). Any info on this would also be appreciated!

Thanks everyone

Aiki_Joker said:

guy wires will fix the branches very fast (if at all). Any info on this would also be appreciated!

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Wire it for real!

I think you can cut off the lowest left branch....
Then wire the branch above it so the foliage lies where the lower branches foliage was....
And so on up the tree...

Everything down a level.

Aiki_Joker said:

Looks quite balanced

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Balanced for now....
But being...

Aiki_Joker said:

apically dominant

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Well...at the risk of this opening the door for a, "flaws in growing out, inspired by Sorce", thread.....

I "unbalance" "balance" "future balance" my stuff like this....

And still with so much low foliage....
It ends up "balanced" after it grows out.

Trees like this almost need the entire apex cut off to be slown down .enough .to stay "balanced"....
Ive done it....
And .even that doenst work!

Then by the time your low branches get where they need to be to stay bigger, they. Are too big for the design.

Wiring .practice!

Sorce

Nice one sorce! Some serious bending to be done I reckon then. Is see it now. Then the trunk will be better scaled.

Some branches are wired in place the wires were digging in on all of them so I rewired some. The wire I have is too thin I think

It is good for lateral bends but not horizontal.

Will reapproach this with your rationale in mind on the next wiring (probably in a few months if it keeps growing like it was). I will keep removing top growth during this time. You are right! I had to cut half the apex off this already since January!

Will stay conservative, I don't know anyone who has had one of these survive here but I know 5 people who have had them die on them! Ha ha ha. Killed one already myself by keeping it indoors like the guy at the market said... not a good plan

Here are some of the lateral bends and that thermo is accurate too in degrees C! Getting hot, going to get hotter :0/

This is an open fronted greenhouse too with vents and the bottom sides :0/ frikkin hot :0/