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Cupressus (It is easily propagated)

It is easily propagated by seeds, but the numerous beautiful varieties are best increased by grafting upon seedling stocks of the species. SYNS. C. Boursierii and Cupressus Lawsoniana. The varieties of this species are extremely numerous; the following are described as being the best, in Veitch's "Manual of Coniferae":

C. L. albo-spica (white-spiked.)* Terminal growth and tips of the branchlets creamy-white. Growth rapid, but less dense than the type. C. L. albo-variegata (white-variegated).* Branchlets and foliage very deep green, profusely spotted and blotched with white. Of dwarf, compact, and conical habit.

C. L. argentea (silvery).* Branches longer and more slender than those of the type; foliage of almost silvery whiteness.

C. L. argenteo-variegata (silvery-variegated).* Many branchlets and leaves creamy-white, interspersed among the deep green foliage. C. L. aureo-variegata (golden-variegated).* This differs from the type in having many of its branchlets bright yellow.

C. L. erecta-viridis (erect-green).* Habit fastigiate and tapering, with foliage of a lighter and brighter green than the type. It is very ornamental and distinct.

C. L. filiformis (thread-like). Branches excessively elongated. Habit sub-pendulous.

C. L. gracilis pendula (gracefully pendulous).* Branches long, gracefully pendulous. A handsome lawn plant, of vigorous growth. C. L. intertexta (interwoven).* A variety more robust in all its parts, so that the ultimate branchlets appear more divaricate than in the type. Foliage with a peculiar glaucous hue.

C. L. lutea (yellow).* Whole of young growth light clear yellow. Of medium growth and compact habit.

C. L. nana (dwarf).* A diminutive variety, of slow growth; dense in habit, globose in outline, and deep green in colour.

C. l. n. alba (white). All the young growth yellowish-white; light green when mature.

C. L. n. glauca (glaucous)* resembles nana, but differs in its highly glaucous foliage.

C. leptoclada (slender-branchleted).* l. of two forms; primordial ones linear awl-shaped, recurved, and light glaucous green; later ones scale-like, closely appressed to the branchlets, and deeper in colour. Branches close-set, short, sub-erect, much divided; branchlets flattened, fern-like, clustered towards the extremities of the branches and their many sub-divisions. h. 8ft. to 10ft. Japan. Habit pyramidal. SYN. Retinospora leptoclada. C. nutkaensis (Nootka Sound).* l. small, closely imbricated, very acute, destitute of tubercles, rich dark green, slightly glaucous on the lower surface or shady side of the branches. Branches sub-erect; branchlets distichously arranged, with elegantly recurved extremities. h. 40ft. to 60ft. British Columbia, 1850. A very fine hardy species, with a nearly columnar form. SYN. Thujopsis borealis. The names of the varieties, argenteo-variegata (silvery-variegated), aureo-variegata (golden-variegated), compact (compact), glauca (glaucous), pendula (pendulous), variegata (variegated), and viridis (green), sufficiently explain their respective characteristics. C. obtusa (obtuse-leaved).* l. mostly in whorls of four, ovaterhomboid, blunt, seldom pointed, decussate, all scale-formed, closely pressed along the branchlets, and adhering almost as far as the points, the lower part only being visible. Branches spreading; lateral ones in two rows, very dense, spreading out like a fan, and of a light green colour. h. 70ft. to 100ft. Japan. A tall evergreen tree. SYNS. C. Keteleeri and Retinospora obtusa. C. o. albo-picta (white-spotted). Many of the young shoots creamy-white, thus giving the plant a speckled and spotted appearance C. o. aurea (golden).* This differs from the typical species in having a portion of the smaller spray and leaves of a golden colour, intermixed with the usual glossy green ones. Japan. A very desirable plant for small gardens, being quite hardy.

C. o. compacta (compact). Stem much divided at the base. Branches crowded and more dense than in the type.

C. o. filicoides (fern-like).* l. small, oval, curved, thick in texture, and somewhat obtusely pointed, keeled on the back, thickly and rather loosely imbricated in four rows, and of a deep glossy green colour. Branches long, narrow, flat, regularly and thickly furnished on both sides with short branchlets of a deep green colour on the upper surface, and more or less glaucous beneath. Japan. A free-growing, quite hardy tree. SYN> Retinospora filicoides.

C. o. gracilis aurea (slender golden).* A very graceful form, with spreading branches, which are elongated at their extremities into slender, rather pendulous stems, furnished with short branchlets; young foliage light, clear yellow, but ultimately light green. Habit pyramidal. C. o. lycopodioides (Club-moss-like).* l. variously shaped, and thickly arranged all round the shoots; those on the upper parts of the principal branchlets being more or less terete-pointed, or bluntly awl-shaped; those near the base of the principal shoots, and on the lesser spray, are more or less scale-formed, adpressed in opposite pairs, keeled on the back, oval-shaped, closely imbricated, all of a deep glossy green colour. Branches spreading, rather slender; branchlets numerous, short, linear. Japan, 1861. A fine evergreen tree. SYN. Retinospora lycopodioides. C. o. nana (dwarf).* A very singular variety, forming a dwarf, cushion-shaped little bush, and seldom attaining a height of more than 1ft or 2ft, but spreading out horizontally all round to more than double that distance. Japan. Quite hardy, and forms an interesting object for rockwork or miniature gardens. SYN. Retinospora obtusa pygmaea.

C. o. plumosa (feathery).* l. subulate or awl-shaped, sub-erect or spreading, acute. Branches numerous, sub-erect, thickly furnished with lateral shoots. h. 15ft. to 20ft. Japan. A dense-growing species, with a conical habit. The varieties of this are extremely beautiful dwarf shrubs, with flexible feathery branchlets.

C. o. p. albo-picta (white-spotted).* Many of the branchlets pure white, imparting a speckled appearance to the plant.

C. o. p. argentea (silvery).* Nearly the whole of the young growth creamy-white, becoming green when mature.

C. o. p. aurea (golden).* Young shoots and foliage of a light golden-yellow, gradually becoming deep green as the season advances. Very distinct and ornamental.

C. o. tetragona aurea (golden tetragonal).* l. short, scale-like, golden-yellow until the second year, when they assume a deep green colour. Branches horizontal, tufted at the extremities with short, undivided, tetragonal branchlets. Garden variety. SYN. C. filicoides aurea. C. o. variegata (variegated). This only differs from the ordinary C. obtusa in the branchlets being more or less tinged with yellow. The above list by no means completes the list of varieties of this very variable species. A large number of different forms may be selected from any seed bed, but the above-named are the best.

C. pisifera (Pea-bearing).* l. in four rows, decussate, all scale-formed on the adult plants; upper and lower ones ovate-lanceolate, tapering to a hard point, keeled on the back, and smooth; lateral ones almost sickle-shaped, equally long, acute-pointed, marked on the under side with two white glaucous bands. Branches numerous, thickly covered with branchlets. Japan. A much smaller and more slender tree than C. obtusa.

C. p. argenteo-variegata. (silvery-variegated). This variety has its shoots variegated with white.

C. p. aurea (golden).* Terminal shoots of a golden hue. Japan, 1861. C. p. filifera (thread-bearing). A synonym of C. filifera. C. sphaeroidea (spherical). White Cedar. l. very minute, closely imbricated, furnished with a small tubercle about the centre, light green, soon falling from the older branches. cones small globular bodies, about the size of peas. Branches spreading, much ramified; branchlets slender, not plaited. Trunk slender, tapering. h. 40ft. to 70ft. North America, 1736. SYN. Cupressus thyoides.

C. s. glauca (glaucous) A synonym of C. s. kewensis. C. s. kewensis (Kew).* This variety differs from the species in being more compact, denser, and in having the branchlets and leaves of a silvery-glaucous colour. Very handsome. SYN. C. s. glauca.

C. s. variegata (variegated).* A handsome low or medium-sized tree, on which more than half the branchlets, with their foliage, are of a rich golden-yellow. It requires a damp, moist situation.

C. squarrosa (squarrose-leaved).* l. spiral, or in whorls, spreading, linear, sharp-pointed, decurrent, dense, smooth, and frequently bent or curved backwards, but somewhat scale-formed; those on the young plants are larger, linear, sharp-pointed, spreading, reflexed, bright glaucous-green above, and furnished with two white glaucous bands on the under side. Branches slender, gracefully curved towards the extremities; branchlets numerous, spreading in all directions, and thickly furnished with extended leaves. h. 4ft. to 6ft. Japan. A large bush or small tender tree. SYN. Retinospora squarrosa.