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New growth on Italian Cypress trees? Save them or replace them?

8 years ago

I have 10 well-established italian cypress trees. 6 are very happy, 4 have gone bald from the bottom up a few feet. I usually treat them with a protect and feed product every spring, but I am late this year. I am about to treat all of the trees again.

It all started after a tropical storm a couple of years ago when the 4 trees leaned over. We shored them back up and they are firmly upright again, but they seemed to have been damaged by it. Or it may have just been coincidence on the storm and something else happened.

Can anyone tell me if the growth on the bottom will ever fill in again, or will it remain permanently bald. I need to decide whether to pull them out and replant them (and prune the others down to try to get to the same height) or maybe I can salvage them.

Many thanks in advance for any info.

-J

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Comments (4)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
8 years ago
a pic would be worth a thousand words of speculation ...

if they tipped over.. most likely a significant portion of the roots were destroyed ... but you will never know.. until you dig them out ...

they most likely have no need for your mystical protect and feed stuff ... they are large trees.. they dont need to be fed ...

the base problem.. is as tom said a while back ... trees are giant storage systems ... and can take a lot of tree years.. to use up that stored energy ... and perhaps.. in this case.. they just havent gotten over the storm insult and are just winding down.. in tree time...

pic if you want more than just guesses ..

btw.. i would spend a lot of hope on hoping they releaf down low ... sure.. they probably can ... how many years are you willing to wait and see??

most likely.. time to go ... and write them off to storm damage ...

and this time diversify ... dont replant the same problem plant ...

ken
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User
Original Author
8 years ago
Thank you for the reply.

You say that "they probably can" re-leaf at the bottom. Is that speculation, or do know for fact that Italian Cypress are able to sprout new growth at the bottom?
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it was just planted ... last season.. it has enough stress. .. they are conifers we treat them like conifers.. and if we want single leader plants that grow straight up.. we remove ALL DUPLICATE LEADERS ... and we do it with hand pruning shears.. NOT BASEBALL BATS ... there is a conifer forum .. though i care not where you post ... this is a highly hated tree.. for many reasons.. of which .. you are already experiencing some of the reasons ... one thing i will note.. where you see them grown to perfection.. there are usually professional gardeners taking care of them.. you better bone up on how to become a professional .... as i do not think that this will be a plant and forget situation ... and then you will have to figure out how to do it at 10 feet.. 20 feet.. 30 feet.. 40 feet .. 50 feet .. etc.. it is not within the capabilities of most of us w/o a very large checkbook ... i wish you all the luck in the world with them ... ken ps: and it says a lot that a professional gardener like botann got rid of his ... that is the decision of a man with 40 years experience.. or so.. lol ... Here is a link that might be useful: good place to start learning about conifers
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It is unlikely that the Italian Cypress will grow anything on the bottom 2' of trunk as you are describing. Once the limbs are removed from the trunk, it is rare that any foliage will grow back. The Italian Cypress commonly sold is a cultivar of the species that has strong fastigate tendencies. In other words the limbs grow straight up to give it the typical look that it has. Incidentally 2' apart is way too close to plant these trees and have them do well. This is particularly true in arid areas. 12' - 24' depending on the rainfall of your area, is more realistic. A different tree should have been used for foliage all the way to the ground, or perhaps as you say, fill in with bushes/etc.
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the real issue.. is that they are in front of the house ... where you really dont want a multi year regrowth project . or at least i wouldnt ... get rid of the ones out front ... if your interested in learning.. let lets see what the ones out back do this year ... now.. all that said.. look at the potential of these massive trees .. and understand.. they might not have been the best choice for the spot ... planted so close to the house ..... so i would think twice before replanting the same ... https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Cupressus+sempervirens&t=ffcm&iax=images&ia=images see this link about planting in native soil.. regardless of what you choose next ... ken https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub
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scotjute Z8
8 years ago
It is unlikely they will resprout foliage once it has died.
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User thanked scotjute Z8
Smivies (Ontario - 5b)
8 years ago
I assume if they suffered through a tropical storm, you are located somewhere in the southeast? Italian Cypress can get foliar diseases in humid climates, especially where the foliage is unable to quickly dry (shady, sheltered, or irrigation spray). The branches also won't re-sprout.
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User thanked Smivies (Ontario - 5b)

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