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Conifer growing guide
Himalayan cypress is a tall, upright conifer of the western Himalaya, raised from very small seed. Sow it shallowly, keep it cool rather than hot during germination and guard young seedlings against damping-off.
The seed is tiny, about 160,000-280,000 seeds per kg, and many seeds in a cone may be hollow, so sow generously. It is orthodox: it keeps for about 18 months in open storage and up to three years sealed. Store it dry in a sealed jar in the refrigerator.
Not needed. The seed coat is thin and takes up water easily.
Recommended. World Agroforestry advises stratifying the seed in damp sand before sowing; the USDA manual gives 30 days as the general period for cypress. Mix seed with slightly damp sand in a sealed bag and keep it in the refrigerator, then sow straight away.
Not needed beyond moist stratification. If seed was stored very dry, a soak of a few hours before mixing with sand helps it absorb water evenly.
Keep it cool. In tests cited by the USDA manual, unstratified Himalayan cypress seed gave 60% germination at 21 °C (70 °F) by day and 9 °C (48 °F) at night, but only 33% at a constant 25 °C (77 °F). Sow in spring in the hills, and in the cool season on the plains.
Scatter seed thinly on the surface and cover with 4-5 mm (about 1/6-1/5 in) of fine soil or sand, then a light mulch. Deeper sowing smothers the small seedlings.
A light, free-draining mix. A Central Himalayan study found Himalayan cypress germinated better in sand after the seed had been air-dried for 15 days, so a sandy seed mix is a good choice.
Evenly moist, never wet. Water with a fine mist or from below so the seed is not washed out.
Germination happens under the thin cover. Give seedlings bright light, shaded from harsh midday sun in hot weather.
World Agroforestry gives 40-60% germination in 14-28 days. Seedlings emerge over a few weeks rather than all at once.
Move seedlings to individual deep pots once the stems have firmed and the first juvenile needle-like leaves have formed. Handle them by the seed leaves.
Grow on in pots or a nursery bed in light shade, then full sun. Seedlings reach plantable size in 12-24 months.
Plant at 1-2 years old into well-drained soil in a sunny position, with room for a tree that eventually reaches 15-25 m (50-80 ft).
Himalayan cypress is native from northern Pakistan to central Nepal and is a temperate tree. It is frost resistant and does best in the hills; in hot plains it is harder to grow.
In the wild it prefers calcareous (limestone) soils, so it is a good choice for alkaline, well-drained ground.
It grows into an upright tree of 15-25 m (50-80 ft), occasionally much taller, and is planted as a windbreak and ornamental tree. Do not plant it close to buildings.
The weeping Kashmir cypress (Cupressus cashmeriana) is a separate species with its own Deodar guide; it is less frost hardy than Himalayan cypress.
Sow Himalayan cypress seeds shallowly in cool weather for a tall, hardy windbreak or specimen tree.
It helps. Stratify the seed in damp sand for about 30 days, then sow. Unstratified seed can still germinate if kept at cool day and night temperatures.
Cypress cones contain many hollow seeds, and warm, constant temperatures reduce germination. Sow generously, cover only 4-5 mm and keep trays cool.
It is a temperate hill tree and grows best in the Himalaya and other cool hill areas. On the plains, raise seedlings in the cool season and give them shade in summer.
