BellaCavalier
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Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Dec 13, 2015 9:34 pm
Location: England

How cold is too cold for a Cupressus Goldcrest?

Hello,

I'd be extremely grateful if someone could help me. We have what we're 99% sure is a Monterey cypress/Cupressus macrocarpa/Goldcrest, and he lives in a pot in our garden. We live in the north of England, and he's been fine so far, but it's starting to get VERY cold here, and we're worried that if the temperature gets much colder, it'll be too cold out there for him.

Should we bring him in if it gets much colder, or just leave him where he is? He's currently in a sheltered position next to our outbuilding, but is that enough? Rather than bringing him in, would we be better off getting him a fleece plant blanket?

Also, I've read that suddenly putting plants outdoors/bringing them indoors can be unpleasant for them, so if we do bring him in, would we need to transition him slowly so as not to shock him?

I'd be extremely grateful for any advice – we're not really garden people (we got this one as a gift), but we love our little tree and want to make sure he's okay.

Thanks for reading! :)

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rainbowgardener
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Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

Depends on what you mean by VERY cold. :)

Your Monterey cypress if it were in the ground, should be hardy down to about 5 degrees F (minus 15 deg C).

In a pot is a little different, because pots freeze quicker, give the roots less protection. And it depends a lot on the pot size. Cypress is often treated as a bonsai, in a tiny pot. But you didn't put this in Bonsai Forum, so I'm assuming you didn't mean that? In a large pot, it should be good outside down to about 15 deg F (-10 C), especially if you put the pot in a location where the tree is protected from harsh winds, etc.

If it is going to get colder than that, or if it is going to stay down near what the tree can tolerate for extended periods, I would think about bringing it in to the shed or some unheated space with just a bit more protection, rather than in to your heated house.

BellaCavalier
Newly Registered
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Dec 13, 2015 9:34 pm
Location: England

Thank you very much for your advice, rainbowgardener!



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