Need help with a young, presumably a cypress tree

[Tefached]

Hello everyone! I'm new to this forum, so I figured I'd ask the experienced audience for some help.

My dad brought home a young, small cypress tree about 3 weeks ago, it's steadily growing for now. The main branch (or the trunk) is about as thick as a standard pencil. It's not too tall, and measures at around 6'/15 cm. The leaves are small, prickly and are evenly divided along the branch, and they follow some sort of an alternating pattern. The branches are very light green and soft, and most of them haven't developed a bark. Of the two main branches that have bark, one of them is still green in certain patches.

Since I'm both new to bonsai and trees, I decided to post in this section of the forum.

My questions are;

1) How should I care for this cypress? I've attached a couple of (low quality, unfortunately) photos so that someone with more expertise may be able to identify the exact species of the cypress (assuming of course that it indeed is a cypress, my dad could be wrong).

So, what sort of light exposure does it need? How often should I water it? What kind of a soil compound does it want? Acidic or basic soil?

2) When should I replant it to a larger pot?

3) How often should I prune it? And how should I prune it in order to encourage even, vertical growth?

I thank you all in advance, and I hope that I posted in the correct section!

 

[GrimLore]

Hello and Welcome to B-Nut Please fill in your profile with location and perhaps USDA Zone so we can assist! For now I can tell you that looks to be a Mediterranean Cypress, or Cupressus sempervirens. The climate and history of that plant can be found here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cupressus_sempervirens. As far as advise I cannot not tell you as I do not know where you are for certain but I can share some basics. If it is summer it should be in at least 1/2 day full sun outside and watered two or three times depending on the heat and the substrate. I have five that grow in dry stall(pumice), crushed lava rock, and a bit of pine horse bedding(not the same as organic pine, it is processed). The thing I have noticed with them where I am is they do not do well if you let them get really "thick" with foliage. I need to keep mine thinned out to look more like wild old pines so they do not overgrow causing interior problems such as lack of interior light and fungus. Until I know where you are that is all I can offer. Update and again Welcome to B-Nut

Grimmy

 

[Tefached]

Hello and Welcome to B-Nut Please fill in your profile with location and perhaps USDA Zone so we can assist! For now I can tell you that looks to be a Mediterranean Cypress, or Cupressus sempervirens. The climate and history of that plant can be found here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cupressus_sempervirens. As far as advise I cannot not tell you as I do not know where you are for certain but I can share some basics. If it is summer it should be in at least 1/2 day full sun outside and watered two or three times depending on the heat and the substrate. I have five that grow in dry stall(pumice), crushed lava rock, and a bit of pine horse bedding(not the same as organic pine, it is processed). The thing I have noticed with them where I am is they do not do well if you let them get really "thick" with foliage. I need to keep mine thinned out to look more like wild old pines so they do not overgrow causing interior problems such as lack of interior light and fungus. Until I know where you are that is all I can offer. Update and again Welcome to B-Nut

Grimmy

Hello Grimmy!

Thank you for your advice. I have filled out my profile as per your request (honestly, I was going to do it sooner, but it slipped my mind. Whoops!). Unfortunately, I cannot provide a USDA zone since I live in Europe (Sisak, Croatia to be precise), but I'll do my best to describe the climate here, both general and current.

What I'm about to say isn't the average of the entire country, since the coastline has a Mediterranean climate with extremely warm summers and mild winters. The continental part is much different from that.

So, the continental climate is Dfb, according to Köppen. That means the summers are hot, averaging at about 35°C, and winters are cold with average temperatures at about -10°C. Precipitation is average as well, evenly divided along the year. That means about 600 to 3,500 millimeters (24 to 138 in), depending on the area, but since I live in the continental part, you can round that to about 3000 mm.

My area in specific has about the same properties as I've listed in the general clime. Temperatures range from as low as -20°C, peaking at 30-35°C. Precipitation is also average, and really depends on the circumstances. Usually we have next to no rainfall in summer, but due to the floods affecting the Balkan region, we've been seeing a LOT more rain that we're used to. For now, temperatures peak at 25°C, but that is most likely subject to change.

Days are usually overcast, but not without their fair share of sunlight. But, it's what we call "zubato sunce", or "toothy sun", meaning that it doesn't really provide warmth.

That is all I could think of, if there's anything else that's still missing, please let me know!

 

[sorce]

Hey lucky you in Croatia.

Walter and Sebastian have collected amazing trees there.

If this cypress isnt enough for you, there is excellent material to be had!

Sorce

 

[GrimLore]

If it actually is a Mediterranean Cypress, or Cupressus sempervirens it appears to me that it is well suited to stay outside all year long where you are located according to the Wiki article and your proximity to Italy. I think if you do not let it get to "bushy" as I said earlier you will enjoy it for a long time.

Grimmy

 

[Tefached]

Hey lucky you in Croatia.

Walter and Sebastian have collected amazing trees there.

If this cypress isnt enough for you, there is excellent material to be had!

Sorce

Thank you, I do hope this cypress succeeds. I've also had an eye for a chestnut outside my building for a long time now. It's a grandiose tree, truly a sight to behold. I'll take a picture of the bark and a leaf so that people here can identify it, I wonder if it can work as a bonsai!

Fingers crossed!

If it actually is a Mediterranean Cypress, or Cupressus sempervirens it appears to me that it is well suited to stay outside all year long where you are located according to the Wiki article and your proximity to Italy. I think if you do not let it get to "bushy" as I said earlier you will enjoy it for a long time.

Grimmy

Proximity to Italy isn't really a factor here, my area sees nothing of the Mediterranean climate. Think, Great Britain, or maybe inland France. That's the kind of weather we have.

Still, I thank you for all your advice, I'll begin pruning and caring asap!

 

[Txhorticulture]

Goimg to disagree with id

I don't think it's cupressus sempervirens. My guess is that you actually have the much more finicky Monterey cypress , Cupressus macrocarpa. Probably the cultivar 'goldcrest' or similar. It is not at all cold hardy. Not really well adapted to Mediterranean climate either. From a mild maritime climate.

 

[Txhorticulture]

Hardiness

-20 Celsius is -4 Fahrenheit. No way that cypress (fairly certain it's c. Macrocarpa) is that hardy sorry. It's a houseplant for you, at least in winter. Good luck