Arizona Cypress: The Arizona cypress is a steeple shaped tree with a pale-green to gray-green color. The leaves are extremely tiny and quite plentiful. They lay close to the branchlet surface in a scale like arrangement and are about 0.1 inches long. The bark is thin and delicate with a reddish brown color. It splits into strips along the length of the tree. The cones are spherical in shape and woody. They mature in two years. Tiny yellow flowers are visible in the fall of the year. Heights of 80 feet and trunk diameters up to 3 feet have been recorded. The Arizona cypress has a pleasing aroma. There are about 30 cultivars of Arizona cypress. These horticultural cultivars have been grouped under the names Cupressus arizonica var. glabra and Cupressus glabra alternatively by various authors. Although most of these cultivars have come from Australia and New Zealand, the most commercially significant one is 'Carolina Sapphire'. It was selected by Dr. Roland Schoenike (of the Clemson University Forestry Department) and Marvin Gaffney (Director of Nurseries for the South Carolina Forestry Commission) in 1968 from trees growing on Tom Wright's Tree Farm in Ward, South Carolina. The trees growing at Wright's were produced from germinated wild seed in 1961. The unique characteristics of these plants qualified them for registration by the Royal Horticultural Society (the international authority for the registration of conifer names) in 1987. Other cultivars used as Christmas trees include Cupressus arizonica var. glabra 'Clemson Greenspire', ...'Blue Pyramid' (aka 'Blue Ice'), and ...'Silver Smoke'. The latter two are New Zealand selections.

 

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Arizona Cypress: The Arizona cypress is a steeple shaped tree with a pale-green to gray-green color. The leaves are extremely tiny and quite plentiful. They lay close to the branchlet surface in a scale like . . . View Full Definition

Blue Ice Cypress: A cultivar of the Arizona cypress, this silvery-blue tree has a citrus aroma and a narrow steeple shape. It's found in the Gulf states, Georgia, and South Carolina. The branches support smal . . . View Full Definition

Leyland Cypress: The name Leyland cypress is used to describe a group of trees where all the members are sterile hybrids. There are no naturally occurring Leyland cypress. They must be propagated by rooted c . . . View Full Definition

Carolina Sapphire Cypress: This southern dweller is naturally broad and has a strong scent of lemon and mint. It's very similar to the 'Blue Ice' cypress (and has similar drawbacks).