Star Wars Garden Gnome This Ain't Arizona, Y'all!

Cupressus arizona (Arizona cypress), non inward its natural habitat

Well, if this is non Arizona, in addition to then why on basis did I flora an Arizona cypress (Cupressus arizonica)?!

Even though most of my flora purchases are well-researched, I yet sometimes succumb to the lure of impulse buys during a plant nursery visit.

I knew that I needed/wanted some to a greater extent than evergreen trees in addition to shrubs for a privacy shroud I'm trying to flora along the edges of my property.

I equally good knew that biodiversity is a goodness thing, simply that at that spot aren't many choices when it comes to tough, evergreen screening plants that tin grip Tennessee extremes (90-100 marking oestrus in addition to humidity inward the summer, unmarried marking mutual frigidity snaps inward winter, heavy clay soil that alternates betwixt mud in addition to concrete consistencies, etc.)

So when the plant nursery employee suggested Arizona cypress 'Carolina Sapphire' equally an underutilized evergreen tree that mightiness last fifty-fifty tougher than the former standbys inward our expanse (Leyland cypress, 'Green Giant' arborvitae), I grabbed an affordable 3-gallon shrub sitting nearby in addition to headed to the cash register.

Apparently that was a big mistake.

Ain't looking much similar a sapphire...

The shrub languished for a duad of weeks in addition to and then went precipitously downhill, presently turning brown, crispy in addition to past times all appearances, dead.

What went wrong?

Well, I tin think of 2 potential huge problems:

1) Roots/Shoots Mismatch - This was a tall plant. That's appealing when you're looking for 2d impact, simply I'm thinking it was grown inward a sheltered, pampered life amid lots of other Arizona cypress plants. Suddenly, it was out inward the opened upwards on a hilltop, getting buffeted past times air current storms. (We've had some doozies this yr alongside straight-line winds some 60-70 mph.) The petite 3-gallon beginning organization couldn't agree the tree upright inward the storm, therefore I went out i twenty-four hours in addition to found it keeled over. I'm certain that was a daze to its system. Even though I promptly propped it upright in addition to staked it inward place, it went from moping to failing later that.

That's why unremarkably it's in all likelihood a amend thought to purchase a flora based on the size in addition to wellness of its roots rather than its top-growth. The top-growth is sexier, simply I think you're much to a greater extent than probable inward the long run to induce got a salubrious flora if you lot acquire a shrub or tree alongside a substantial beginning organization in addition to pocket-size top-growth rather than the other agency around.

2) Two words - Wet Clay - Quoting the Arizona Tree Experts Blog - "Very hardy to many growing conditions: heavy clays, rocky in addition to thin, sloped; they’ll grow pretty much anywhere inward the Austin area. The i matter they create involve is drainage therefore don’t confuse them alongside bald cypress that volition grow inward constantly moisture conditions."

Now it's truthful we're on a hilltop, simply the Arizona cypress was planted on apartment basis inward the dorsum that tin rest sodden for days later a heavy pelting or a lot longer than that later a serial of rains.

Maybe it would induce got fared amend if I'd planted it on the gradient inward front end of the house?


Will I campaign Arizona cypress again?

Nope, I don't think so.

I mean, if I lived inward Arizona I mightiness campaign it, simply non hither inward Tennessee. 

I'd much rather flora a tough, forgiving truthful native similar eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) or a regional native similar yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria). 

Usually, I similar to champion the mantra of "Right plant, correct place."

In this case, I'd tell my actions would last to a greater extent than aptly described by, "Wrong plant, incorrect place."

That's OK. Most of the novel additions - the ones I planned out inward advance - induce got worked pretty good therefore far this year. I'll chalk it upwards to a learning sense in addition to campaign to retrieve this debacle adjacent fourth dimension I'm tempted to plough over inward to an impulse purchase temptation...


How nigh you? Any impulse gardening purchases that went awry recently? Or create you lot prefer to quietly bury your mistakes at the border of your property? 😏