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What Are the Best Tips for Planting Cypress Seeds?

Amber Eberle
Amber Eberle

Cypress trees are typically found in wetland areas and swamps. These plants require a lot of water, and may therefore be planted in a yard's low-lying area where water collects or along a storm drainage system. Cypress can be grown from seeds, but require a lot of care in order to grow properly. When growing these specimens, the cypress seeds should be started indoors. After the seeds germinate and grow into healthy seedlings, they may be transplanted outdoors.

Quality cypress seeds can be purchased from a plant nursery. Before the seeds can be planted in a container with soil, however, they should be placed between two sheets of wet paper towels. The paper towels and the seeds should then be put inside a plastic storage bag and placed in a refrigerator for at least 30 days. The chilling of the cypress seeds is required to bring them out of dormancy, and failure to follow this step will result in seeds that do not grow.

Cypress seeds should be soaked in layers of wet paper towels before planting.
Cypress seeds should be soaked in layers of wet paper towels before planting.

After the cypress seeds have been thoroughly soaked and chilled, they can be planted in a small seedling container kept indoors. A rich potting soil should be used. Each seed should be placed just under the soil, in a small hole approximately 1/4 of an inch (0.6 centimeters) deep. The soil should be watered until it is very moist, but not wet. For best results, a container with a hole in the bottom should be used, and this may be kept in a tray of water to keep the soil moist at all times.

The seedling container should be kept in a warm room, with a temperature between 70° and 75° Fahrenheit (21° and 24° Celsius). The container should be placed in an area that receives indirect sunlight during the day, so a south-facing windowsill should be ideal. Germination time varies for cypress seeds, but they will generally sprout in 7 to 30 days.

When a seedling grows to 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) in height, it should be moved to a larger container, but still kept indoors. A seedling is generally ready to be transplanted outdoors when it reaches a height of about 24 inches (61 cm). For optimal plant health, it is recommended that a cypress seedling is kept indoors for at least six months before being moved outside. The young tree then should be planted in an area with very moist soil. It typically grows best in a wetland environment that is shallowly flooded for several months of the year.

Discussion Comments

Ocelot60

@rundocuri- The windows that are used in the construction of sun rooms are often slightly tinted since they are usually exposed to a lot of sun. Check your sun room windows, and if they are tinted, I don't think that the sunlight that comes in will be too much for your cypress seeds to germinate.

Raynbow

@rundocuri- I think that your concerns about planting cypress seeds in a sun room are valid, because the sunlight that they are exposed to could be too much. It might even be stronger on winter days when the sun reflects off snow. Since seeds and young cypress plants are delicate, I could understand how this could pose a problem when you are trying to get them to sprout and take root.

I think that to correct this possible problem, you could put up shades on the windows in your sun room where you keep your growing cypress seeds and plants. You could keep the shades closed during the sunniest part of the day so you allow just enough sun in to allow proper growth.

If you don't want to put up shades in your sun room, another option is to keep your cypress seeds and young plants away from windows that are getting direct sun. This could mean keeping them in one section of the room, or moving them around throughout the day to avoid direct, bright sunlight. Though these options sound like hassles, taking these extra precautions will be worth it when your cypress plants have taken root and are ready to be transplanted outside.

Rundocuri

I have a four-seasons sun room, so I was wondering if this would be a good location to plant cypress seeds. The room is insulated and heated, so I can keep the temperature in it warm throughout the winter.

Though the sun room seems ideal otherwise, I'm wondering if it will be too sunny. Since the article mentions that cypress seeds and young plants should be kept in indirect sunlight, I'm wondering if putting them in a sun room will slow their growth.

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    • Cypress seeds should be soaked in layers of wet paper towels before planting.
      By: didecs
      Cypress seeds should be soaked in layers of wet paper towels before planting.