| A neighbor has just planted a line of cypress trees directly across from us. They presently stand six feet tall. Once they reach twenty feet, they will completely obscure our view of the ocean. How long will it take the trees to reach this height? What sort of maintenance is required to keep them at a managable level? |
| There are several kinds of cypress trees, each with different growth patterns. Arizona Cypress is often used as quick windbreaks. They reach a maximum height of 40', with a spread of 20'. Since they grow rapidly, you can keep them under control while they're young by cutting the branch tips annually to promote a bushy habit. Another popular cypress is Cupressus forbesii, the Tecate Cypress. It's native to the Santa Ana Mountains and has naturalized in San Diego. Its a low-branching tree with cherry red bark and grows to about 20' at maturity. It, too, is an excellent windbreak. It can be sheared or topped regularly to encourage dense growth while controlling the height. Hope this information helps. |
