Cupressus Blue Ice

Cupressus 'Blue Ice' (Cupressus arizonica var. glabra 'Blue Ice') is the silver blue conifer to plant when you want height fast and have almost no width to give it. It reaches about 7m tall and 2.5m across, holds a naturally upright form without shaping, and the foliage carries a clean citrus and cedar scent when you brush past it. Planted 1.5m apart it makes a dense screen taller than any fence.

Why you'll love it

• Silver blue all year. The colour is unusual enough to work as a feature, and it does not fade or brown off in cold weather.
• Tall and narrow. Around 7m of height from a 2.5m footprint, which is what makes it useful along a boundary or a driveway.
• Fast to screening height. Growth of roughly 60cm to 1m a year in a good position, so a bare fence line is covered in a few seasons.
• Dry climate credentials. Frost hardy, heat tolerant, wind tolerant and genuinely drought tolerant once established.

Where it works best

Screening and hedging. Plant 1.5m apart in a single row for a solid screen. For a formal clipped hedge, tighten that to 1.2m and trim twice a year.

Driveways and avenues. Spaced 3m to 4m apart it makes a strong repeated line, and the narrow habit keeps branches out of the car.

Windbreaks and feature planting. A double staggered row filters wind on an exposed rural block, and a single specimen holds a corner of a large garden on its colour alone.

Growing Cupressus 'Blue Ice' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, with air moving through it. This is a warm temperate, cool temperate, Mediterranean and arid zone conifer, and it is at its best where summers are dry. Humid subtropical and tropical gardens bring on fungal problems, so it is not the right choice there.

Soil. Free draining soil is the requirement, and it will grow happily in sandy or gravelly ground. On clay, plant high on a mound; wet roots are what kills this conifer.

Water and feed. Deep soak weekly through the first two summers, then only in extended dry spells. A slow release fertiliser in early spring is enough, and overfeeding produces soft growth that loses the blue tone.

Pruning. Trim the outer green growth in spring and again in late summer to hold width and thicken the wall. Do not cut back into bare brown wood, because conifers of this type will not reshoot from it.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in 400mm pots, which is a substantial plant rather than a starter. Expect an already upright, well furnished tree with a formed leader, ready to give real height in its first season and to hold its own against wind on an open site.

Some interior browning and a little needle drop after transit is normal on conifers and clears as the plant settles. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Growing and maintaining conifers
• Browse the full conifer range
• Compare tall and narrow screening plants
• Plants that work in a windbreak

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a screen?

1.5m apart for a screen, or 1.2m if you intend to clip it into a formal hedge. Wider than 2m and you will always see gaps between the trees.

How fast does it grow?

Around 60cm to 1m a year in full sun with good drainage, slowing as it nears full height. Growth is slower in heavy soil and in cold inland districts.

Can I keep it below 7m?

Yes. Trimming the leader once it reaches the height you want will hold it there, provided you keep the cuts in green growth and stay off the bare inner wood.