ARIZONA CYPRESS

 

In early 1968, trees were selected from Arizona Cypress growing at Tom Wright’s Christmas Tree Farm in Ward, South Carolina.  The trees growing there were produced from wild seed germinated in 1961.  They were observed to have a steely blue color, dense lacy foliage with tiny yellow flowers and a pleasing aroma; that some describe as a cross between lemon and mint.  The original selections were cloned by Booth Chilcutt of the South Carolina Forestry Commission and test plantings were made in various areas of the State with promising results.  This clone was registered by the Royal Horticultural Society in England in 1987, as cupressus arizonica var. glabra, ‘Carolina Sapphire’.  Another variety of the Arizona Cypress is ‘Blue Ice’.


 

BLUE ICE

Powdery gray-blue, silver-blue to icy blue foliage, symmetrical pyramid, reddish brown scaly bark, 20’-25’ high, 10’ to 12’ wide.