My Best Friend Bought Me A Little Cypress Tree From…
Mary Asked
My best friend bought me a little cypress tree from Pro Plants for Christmas. It seemed great but I noticed last week it wasn’t supposed to be ever left in standing water. I did have it sitting in its pot and water was in bottom of the decorative pot. But lt doesn’t seem to be getting water in the needles. What can I do for my this tree? I live in an apartment with gas heat.
The Gardener’s Answer
Hello, Mary in West Virginia: Too much moisture can be dangerous for plants, and unfortunately the growing situation your cypress was in did not allow for water to drain. Saturated roots can lead to root rot and when plants do not have a healthy root system they are pretty much done for. Your evergreen is obviously stressed from what you described, but plants are pretty tough and how far gone it is will depend on the chances of it recovering or not. If the roots have a foul smell and are brown and mushy instead of white and firm, the cypress will not recover. If the roots look healthy but all the foliage is brittle and falling off, this is not a good sign either. If this is the case, only time will tell if your cypress will put on new growth or not. Luckily, you know where your friend purchased your present so you can replace it with a healthy specimen.
