How to plant and care for Mediterranean Cypress

Cupressus sempervirens

Also called Italian cypress, Tuscan cypress, pencil pine, cypress, Cupressus

🌳 Tree 🔁 Perennial

A classic evergreen conifer, the Mediterranean Cypress is known for its distinctive tall, slender, and columnar form. Its dark green, scale-like foliage provides year-round interest and a strong vertical accent in the garden. Once established, it is remarkably drought-tolerant and makes an excellent choice for screening, windbreaks, or as a striking specimen tree in UK gardens, particularly in milder regions.

Growing Mediterranean Cypress: what it needs

Light: Full sun · 6+ hours a day
Watering: Water regularly until established, then drought-tolerant.
Soil: Well-drained soil, tolerates poor soil. · pH 6.0–8.0
Spacing: 3-5 m as a specimen tree, 1-2 m for a screen or hedge
Height: Can reach 20-30 m, but often kept smaller with pruning.
In pots: Best in the ground
Feeding: Generally not needed once established; balanced feed for young plants if growth is poor.
Hardiness: USDA zones 7–9
Difficulty: Easy

Step by step

On planting day
Plant the Tree
Plant at the same depth it grew in its pot, in a hole twice as wide as the root ball, 3-5 m as a specimen tree, 1-2 m for a screen or hedge from other trees. Firm and water well.
0–1 days after “Plant the Tree”
Stake and Tie
Drive a short stake in on the windward side and fix it with a soft tree tie. Loosen the tie each spring so it never cuts into the bark.
0–2 days after “Stake and Tie”
Water In Deeply
Soak the root area with a full can, then keep the soil moist (not wet) for the first few weeks.
7–21 days after “Water In Deeply”
Mulch the Base
Spread 5–8 cm of compost or bark mulch in a 1 m circle, keeping it clear of the trunk.

Every year

April
Spring Feed (Young Plants)
Give young trees a balanced feed if growth is poor, and mulch.
August
Trim for Shape
Trim to maintain desired height and shape, typically in late summer or early autumn.