Arizona Cypress
Hesperocyparis arizonica
Arizona Cypress (Hesperocyparis arizonica) is a tree suited to the Colorado Front Range, rated "Conditionally Recommended" on the 2024 Front Range Tree Recommendation List. It matures to about 20–30 ft tall and 10–15 ft wide, slow-growing, needs low water, and prefers full sun.
low water20–30 ft tall and 10–15 ft wideXeric / water-wiseDeer-resistant
Online from $229.99 at 1 retailerPhotos
Plan your garden
Not sure what to plant? The finder matches Front Range trees, shrubs, perennials, and groundcover to your soil, water, sun, and zone.
Ready to plant this?
At a glance
- Rating
- Right spot only (FRTRL: Conditionally Recommended)
- Botanical name
- Hesperocyparis arizonica
- Variety / cultivar
- Arizona Cypress 'Blue Ice', CRYSTAL FROST™
- Type
- Tree
- Mature size
- 20–30 ft tall and 10–15 ft wide
- Mature form
- Pyramidal
- Spacing / clearance
- ~15 ft of clearance
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 7–10
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Lifespan
- Long-lived
- Water needs
- low water
- Sun
- Best in full sun.
- Colorado native
- No
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Soil
- clay, loam
- Soil pH
- 6.0–8.2
- Hail tolerance
- high
- Wind tolerance
- high
- Salt tolerance
- moderate
- Pollinator value
- low
Site factors to consider
- Critical: Soil ChemistryOur alkaline clay locks up iron for this one, so leaves often yellow between green veins and growth stalls unless you treat it.
- Critical: Cold HardinessIt is only borderline hardy here, so a hard Front Range winter can knock it back or kill it; treat it as a gamble for a warm, sheltered spot.
- Watch: ExposureIt wants shelter; open, windy, reflected-heat sites batter it, so tuck it against a building or a windbreak.
Wildlife & ecology
- Pollinator value
- low
- Deer
- Generally deer-resistant
Planting & establishment
Water deeply every 7–10 days through the first 2 summers (less for xeric pines in heavy clay, they're prone to root rot). Winter water 1–2×/month October–March when soil is dry and unfrozen, evergreens transpire year-round. Year 3: taper to twice per month in summer; only during extreme drought thereafter.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Arizona Cypress good for the Colorado Front Range?
- Yes, Arizona Cypress is a well-suited tree for Colorado's Front Range, rated "Conditionally Recommended" on the 2024 Front Range Tree Recommendation List.
- Why is Arizona Cypress only conditionally recommended on the Front Range?
- The main catches here: Our alkaline clay locks up iron for this one, so leaves often yellow between green veins and growth stalls unless you treat it. It is only borderline hardy here, so a hard Front Range winter can knock it back or kill it; treat it as a gamble for a warm, sheltered spot.
- How big does Arizona Cypress get?
- It matures to about 20–30 ft tall and 10–15 ft wide.
- How much room does Arizona Cypress need?
- Give Arizona Cypress about 15 ft of clearance from buildings, fences, and other trees so the mature canopy isn't crowded.
- What shape does Arizona Cypress grow into?
- Arizona Cypress typically grows into a pyramidal, conical outline that is widest at the base. This is the species' usual mature form, named cultivars (columnar, weeping, or compact selections) can differ, so check the specific cultivar.
- Is Arizona Cypress hardy on the Front Range?
- Arizona Cypress is hardy in USDA 7–10. The Colorado Front Range spans roughly USDA 4b–6a, so it is at its cold edge here. Site it in a warm microclimate and protect young plants. That said, it carries a cold-hardiness caution: It is only borderline hardy here, so a hard Front Range winter can knock it back or kill it; treat it as a gamble for a warm, sheltered spot.
- How much water does Arizona Cypress need?
- It needs low water once established.
- How fast does Arizona Cypress grow?
- Arizona Cypress is a slow-growing tree. Growth rate depends on water and site conditions on the Front Range.
- How long does Arizona Cypress live?
- Arizona Cypress is long-lived, a multi-generational tree given good siting and care. Actual lifespan varies with site, water, and care.
- Is Arizona Cypress native to Colorado?
- No. It is not a Colorado native, but it grows well on the Front Range.
- Is Arizona Cypress deer-resistant?
- Arizona Cypress is generally considered deer-resistant, though no plant is deer-proof when browse pressure is high.
Track Arizona Cypress prices
See also
Related trees
Cypress, Arizona Cypress
Hesperocyparis arizonica
Maple, Bigtooth
Acer grandidentatum
Maple, Bigtooth: ROCKY MOUNTAIN GLOW®, HIGHLAND PARK®
Acer saccharum subsp. grandidentatum
Maple, Paperbark
Acer griseum
Alder, Thinleaf/Mountain
Alnus incana subsp. tenuifolia
Hornbeam, American hornbeam
Carpinus caroliniana