Goldcrest

Family:  Cupressaceae

Origin: North America

The Size: 10 ft. tall, 2-3 ft. wide

Temperature & Humidity: A lemon cypress prefers cool, moist climates. Temperatures above 80 degrees F in dry areas will tax the plant, while temperatures lower than 20 degrees F may cause tree damage or death.
When used as a houseplant, the lemon cypress needs to be kept in a place that has sufficient humidity.

Lightning: The tree requires a good amount of light. Outdoors, it should be planted in full sun to partial shade. Indoors, it needs five to six hours of indirect sunlight or morning sun. The hot direct afternoon sun in a west-facing window can be detrimental to the vibrant foliage

The Soil: Planting this tree in soil that is too rich invites trouble. The lemon cypress is adapted to grow in poor, sandy, well-draining soils that are low in organics and not very fertile. This infertile soil allows the slow-growing tree to pace its development to match its height with its roots, helping to ensure that winds do not blow the thin and narrow plant over.

Watering: As an outdoor shrub or tree, once established, the lemon cypress needs little supplemental watering. To allow the plant to establish itself, water once a week during the first season. If kept as a houseplant, give it a thorough deep watering weekly, ensuring the soil is never too dry.

Fertilizer: Fertilizing this shrub is not suggested. The lemon cypress is adapted to thrive in poor, infertile soil conditions. Rich soils will cause quick, uneven growth and could result in the tree being unstable. 

Reproduction: Most Monterey cypress are cultivars and propagating them from seed does not produce a plant with the same features as the parent, therefore propagation from seed is not recommended.

Transfer: Excellent drainage is crucial for lemon cypress so make sure the pot you use has large drain holes. Terracotta pots are ideal because they let air get to the roots but the pots also dry out faster so adjust the watering frequency accordingly.

Features of Care: One of the great things about C. macrocarpa ‘Goldcrest’ is that it is an easy plant to care for. The only maintenance required will be some pruning if you want to keep its size down, or yearly trimming if using it as a hedge.

Difficulties: After pruning a potted lemon cyprus, you might notice that the tips of the pruned branches turn brown. That is part of the natural process and the brown spots should be disguised in due time by new bushy growth