Cupressus sempervirens (Golden Swanes) is an evergreen conifer variety that was first developed in Australia in 1944. Golden Swanes are a golden version of the popular Italian Pencil Pines that are widely used to decorate landscape gardens. Commonly grown in tree lines and driveways they are cold hardy, drought tolerant and provide all year round colour. Golden Swanes make excellent screens and are extremely low-maintenance.
Suitable for Cold, Temperate and Sub-Tropical climates.
The Golden Swanes is suitable for all climates south of Brisbane. As a conifer, they can be slow growing and can take around ten years to reach 5 metres (15 feet).
Other common names given include Swanes Golden Pencil Pine and Swanes Golden Italian Cypress.
Check out our other Cypress pages including the Italian Pencil Pine, Arizona Cypress and the Kashmir Cypress.
Growth
Cupressus sempervirens is a slow growing conifer variety that can reach heights of up to 8 metres (25 feet). They are cold hardy to as low as -10°C / 14°F and once established don’t require any watering. Young plants are more challenging and require regular watering especially during summers. On hot days juveniles will extra water and a place that is shaded from the afternoon sun. After their first full winter they are generally able to tolerate a full sun position so spring is an ideal time to transplant into the ground.
Golden Swanes pine needles are pine-scented and fairly soft to the touch. Though gloves are recommended when handling the plants as they excrete a very sticky sap. The trees have flaky, scaly bark and produces spherical female seed cones about the size of a cherry ( 2 cm ).
Unfortunately, this variety is not suitable for tropical climates as they are likely to contract fungal problems which can cause severe damage.
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 – Part Shade
HEIGHT:
Up to 8 metres (25 feet)
WIDTH:
Up to 1 metres (3 feet)
pH:
5.0-7.0
GROWTH TYPE:
Evergreen.
WATER REQUIREMENTS:
Medium
POLLINATION:
Wind.
MATURITY:
7-10 years
GERMINATION RATES:
55-85% dependent on length of cold stratification period.
GERMINATION TIME:
Cold stratification for 8-10 weeks, post sowing germination from 3-6 weeks
SEEDS PER GRAM:
Approximately 60
MEDICINAL QUALITIES:
No
WEED POTENTIAL:
No
FACTS ABOUT CUPRESSUS SEMPERVIRENS (Golden Swanes Conifer)
This hybrid variety was developed in 1944 by Swane’s Nursery of Dural, New South Wales.
At the same nursery, it costs around $17 for a Golden Swanes in a 14 cm pot.
