Lawson's cypress is a beautiful evergreen conifer that grows in the wild in North America. In natural habitat it grows up to 70 m in height and up to 1.8 m. In culture, of course, it is much smaller in size - up to 2 m. Dwarf varieties that can be grown at home are also bred. About one of these - cypress Elwoodi - you can learn from our material.
Variety description
Lawson's Cypress Elwoody was bred in 1929 in England. Received the name in honor of the names of the gardener Elwood. The ephedra has a beautiful broad cone-shaped crown, dark red-brown bark, vertical flexible branches.
The ends of the shoots are somewhat dangling. Needles - gray-blue, thin, pinnate. In the autumn it is painted in blue-steel color. Also derived varieties, in which the tips of the needles are golden (Elwood Gold), the needles are painted white (Elwoodi White).
By its own interest and gentle cypress Elwoodi empire with green-blue needles. The cypress root system is superficial and forms a large number of thin roots.
Did you know? The highest cypress in the world is the representative of the type of Loveson - its height reached 81 m. And the oldest tree - Cypress pea fruit. He celebrated his 117th birthday.
To the description of cypress Elwoodi should be added that it is a slow-growing plant. At the age of 10, it reaches a maximum height of 1.5 m. It gives an increase of 3-5 cm per year. This variety is frost-resistant.Necessary conditions in the room
It cannot be argued that cypress is an unpretentious plant, but you cannot call it moody either. There are several conditions and simple rules that must be followed for a comfortable and healthy existence of a green handsome man in a residential environment.
Humidity and temperature
For cypress, cool temperatures and fresh, well-moistened air are very important. The optimum temperature for its growth in summer is not higher than 20 ° С, better around + 17 ° С, in winter + 10-15 ° С (but not lower than + 8 ° С).
Therefore, in the summer it is better to keep the plant in the fresh air or to spray the room more often. In winter, the ideal tree for living will not be a cold loggia. 
Ephedra just loves high humidity in the room. Therefore, acquiring this plant in the apartment, you should also get a humidifier.
If you do not have such a device, you will often have to moisten the room and the plant with a spray bottle. The optimum level of humidity will not be below 70%.
It is also possible to increase the humidity by placing a pot with a branch on a pallet with wet pebbles or expanded clay. In the heating season, if it is snowing outside, you can put it in small portions in a pot.
At other times, you can freeze ice in the freezer and also place it in a container with a plant. If the moisture regime is not observed, cypress needles will turn yellow and crumble.
Such coniferous plants as juniper, room cypress, araucaria, cryptomeria, thuja room will also perfectly decorate your house.
Lighting and location
The plant loves bright places or slightly shaded. In a strong shadow, his crown will acquire an irregular elongated shape. Some varieties - with golden and white-green needles - retain their decorative effect only in well-lit places, but not under the direct rays of the sun, because in this case burns can occur.
For the winter period, cypress can be placed on the windowsill. In the spring move to the window on the north side or make a protective shelter from direct rays.
In summer, the balcony is ideal for living plants, but also only with shading. Pot plant must be located away from heating appliances. 
Soil for the plant
The composition of the soil cypress almost indifferent. Both on the open district, and in the closed ground can grow in any fertile garden earth. Therefore, the land for planting can be purchased in the gardening shop universal.
You can also make a light and nutritious substrate with your own hands. For this you will need:
- leaf earth - two parts;
- sod land - one part;
- river sand - one part.
Important! Capacity for planting the ephedra should be 3-4 cm larger than the root system of the plant. Prerequisite is the presence of drainage holes.
Growing cypress stalk
Of course, it is better and easier to buy in the garden center a ready young plant in a pot, which can later be transplanted into the necessary soil and its capacity without any problems. However, there is another, more long-term method of growing cypress - from the cutting.
The cutting procedure is carried out in the summer. They choose the strongest branches and cut off cuttings of 10-12 cm from the tops of the shoots. On the lower part of them, the needles should be removed.
The cuttings are placed in a light substrate for rooting and create mini-greenhouses for them, in which they maintain the same temperature and humidity, as well as carry out frequent watering. For example, such greenhouses can be built from plastic bottles. 
In this state, the cuttings should stay until spring. After the appearance of new needles, shelter in the form of a greenhouse is removed, and cuttings are planted in pots or planted in the country.
Grade Care
After the successful planting and rooting of the cypress Elwoodi, the matter will remain small - for the care, which will include:
- watering;
- top dressing;
- sanitary and decorative pruning;
- transplant;
- treatment in case of diseases or attacks of pests.
Did you know? Cypress has unique properties - it can clean indoor air from harmful bacteria and have a healing effect on the human respiratory system.
Watering
In the summer, homemade cypress Elwoodi will need to be watered plentifully and often. It is important not to allow even the slightest drying out of the soil - the plant will immediately react badly to it, and if it does not take action in time, it may even die.
In winter, require moderate watering. It is necessary to carry out it only when the top layer of soil dries out. It is not necessary to flood the plant - this can be avoided by using a dispenser for indoor plants.
It is not bad to place ice cubes in a pot in the quality of irrigation - this will help both to evenly and gradually moisten the cage, and to achieve a lower temperature. 
Important! Watering indoor plants should be well-settled tap or melt water. Water should be soft.
Top dressing
Fertilize the ephedra recommended from May to August. For him suitable liquid mineral fertilizer for indoor ornamental plants (the dose will need to be halved) and dressing for bonsai.
Starting from September, all feeding should be stopped, otherwise the cypress can endure the winter period and become ill.
Decorative trimming
In early spring, the plant will need to inspect and trim dry, old branches on it. Cypress also perfectly tolerates a decorative haircut. He is a boon for art lovers bansai.
You can form a crown in the form of a pyramid or a cone, to give it other interesting shapes. For one shearing cut no more than one third of the greens.
The hairstyle can be made a year after planting or transplanting the conifer. At home, pruning can and not produce, and do only nip.
Transfer
Cypress does not like transplants, so it should be done as little as possible - no more than once every two years. But it is still necessary to replant the plant, since the earth in the pot is depleted, and the supply of minerals and vitamins can no longer even replenish top dressing.
In addition, over time, the root system of the ephedra grows, and it simply does not fit in the pot.
The best time for the transplant procedure is from the end of May to mid-June. The best way is transshipment.
A new pot should be 3-4 cm wider than the root system. Flower growers recommend planting potted plants in earthen vessels, since it can better retain moisture in the soil in summer and warm the roots in winter.
To remove the plant from the old tank, it must be placed in the bathroom or in a basin of water. So the soil is well soaked, and the plant will come out of the pot easier. 
At the bottom of the new tank for planting should put a five-centimeter layer of drainage in the form of expanded clay, broken bricks, smooth stones, etc. From above, you need to pour a small layer of soil substrate on which to place a clod of earth with roots.
To fill the hollows with light, loose soil prepared for planting. In the end, the ground will need to be slightly sealed with your hands and shed liberally.
Important! It is necessary to ensure that when transplanting the root collar of the ephedra is not under the ground, otherwise the plant may not settle down or even die.
After transplanting the first two weeks, the plant will need to be covered from sunlight. Full watering begin in two or three days. Prior to this plant enough spray spray. It will be possible to fertilize only in two-three months.
Possible problems with growing
The following problems are typical for cypress trees:
- root rot infection;
- shrinking branches;
- yellowing and fall of needles;
- spider mite attacks;
- harmful activities
Root rot appears in the case when the plant is often susceptible to waterlogging, with the result that the roots are constantly stagnant moisture. 
If you notice that the cypress looks unhealthy and after the inspection you were convinced that there are no pests on it, try digging up the plant and inspect its roots. With a slight lesion, the diseased roots are cut, and the cut points are treated with fungicide.
Then the plant is transplanted into a completely new soil and new capacity. With a strong defeat from the ephedra will have to get rid of.
In case of sudden yellowing and falling off of the needles, the plant should be carefully examined. If there is a web on the branches, then a spider mite infection has occurred. To get rid of it, you will need the use of chemicals - acaricides, which are allowed for spraying room crops.
The shrinking of the branches and the falling off of the needles also occurs when the scythos attack. With a slight infection from this pest, you can try to get rid of it mechanically - by scraping off a sucking insect with a brush.
Also at the initial stage of infection may help processing soap-oil solution. With a strong infection without chemistry can not do. The drugs "Actellic", "Phosbecid" and others will help. 
Having grown such a beautiful and original plant, like Lawson's cypress Elwood, and carrying out its proper planting and care, you will get an amazing coniferous corner in the house and, in addition, a live Christmas tree for the New Year - it is for such purposes that this plant is most often used in winter.
