Cupressus cashmeriana ( Kashmir Cypress ) is an evergreen conifer that is native to northern India and Bhutan. Kashmir Cypress is widely grown for its beautiful weeping blue-green foliage. The trees are popular as a feature or grown indoors as a bonsai specimen. They grow quickly and can reach five metres in height in their first.
Suitable for Cold, Temperate and Sub-Tropical climates.
Growth
Cupressus cashmeriana is a medium-sized weeping tree that can reach heights of up to 45 metres (148 feet). They are often grown in private parks, public gardens or as bonsai and feature trees. Kashmir Cypress trees enjoy moist soil and cold or temperate conditions. In its native range near the Himalayas specimens have been known to grow beyond 90 metres (280 feet) but 10-12 metres is the average range in the United States.
The foliage grows in a weeping fashion of blue-green and the leaves are scaly up to 2 mm long. Seed cones are ovoid roughly 20 mm by 20 mm with 8-12 scales and can take up to 24 months to ripen on the tree.
Kashmir Cypress trees are cold hardy and enjoy full sun but are less tolerant of strong winds or drought. Unlike most conifers, they do require regular watering.
How to Germinate Kashmir Cypress Seeds
Getting Kashmir Cypress seeds to germinate is relatively easy if stratification is done prior to sowing. Stratification helps break the dormancy that seeds use to protect themselves from sprouting during winter. Luckily, Cupressus cashameriana seeds take less time when compared to most other tree seeds. After soaking the seeds for 24 hours the seeds go into the fridge for 4 weeks to help wear down their hard outer shell. Once the four weeks is finished, the seeds are ready to sow. Some trees can require 3-6 months in the fridge before sowing due to the varying nature of their dormancy. If seeds aren’t sown directly after being in the fridge they can return to dormancy and will require another stratification period to germinate.
Another point to consider is when to sow. As an established tree Kashmir Cypress can tolerate temperatures well below zero. But a young seedling will die on a mild winters day. Spring is the best time to sow because it allows the young plants up to 9 months to prepare, which is no different to circumstances they face in the wild. Even so, it is recommended that young plants be brought indoors or offered some protection during their first full winter.
A step by step guide can be found in the Germination Instructions tab.
FAMILY:
Cupressaceae
CLIMATE:
Cold – Sub Tropical
TEMPERATURE RANGE:
-15 to 25°C / -5 to 77°F
SOIL TYPE:
Soil must be well draining.
LOCATION:
Full Sun
HEIGHT:
Up to 45 metres (148 feet)
WIDTH:
Up to 8 metres (25 feet)
pH:
6.0-7.0
GROWTH TYPE:
Evergreen.
WATER REQUIREMENTS:
Medium
POLLINATION:
Wind.
MATURITY:
15-20 years
GERMINATION RATES:
55-85% dependent on length of cold stratification period.
GERMINATION TIME:
Cold stratification for 4 weeks, post sowing germination from 3-4 weeks
SEEDS PER GRAM:
Approximately 150
MEDICINAL QUALITIES:
No
WEED POTENTIAL:
No
FACTS ABOUT CUPRESSUS CASHMERIANA (Kashmir Cypress)
One specimen has been recorded at 95 metres (312 ft) tall but has yet to be officially verified.
A study found that Cupressus cashmeriana can grow up to 45 cm (18 inches) per year.
One nursery in Victoria, Australia has Kashmir Cypress trees available in 20 cm pots for $45.
Kashmir Cypress is the national tree of Bhutan.
