If you get the conditions just right, you can actually grow a cypress tree right on your balcony! Slimmer varieties are perfect for small spaces, adding a touch of Mediterranean charm without taking over. Here’s everything you need to know to get started, from planting to long-term care.
Cypress trees need plenty of legroom
Cypress trees are long-lived and love to reach for the sky, which means they develop a pretty vigorous root system. To keep one happy in a container, your pot needs to be:
- Twice as large as the root ball.
- Deep enough to accommodate a solid drainage layer.
- Equipped with plenty of large drainage holes.
- Made of heavy, sturdy material so it won’t tip over in the wind.
Getting off to a great start
When shopping, look for a slender variety that isn’t a fast grower—otherwise, you’ll be spending all your free time pruning. Standard “conifer soil” from your local garden center is perfect for these guys. Before planting, create a drainage layer a few inches thick using pebbles, perlite, broken terracotta shards, or coarse sand. The best time to pot them up is in the spring or fall.
Pro Tip:
Lemon Canyons (a type of Monterey Cypress) are a huge hit for balconies. They don’t just look picturesque; they also give off a refreshing citrus scent!
Finding the perfect balcony spot
Cypress trees love the sun, but if a potted plant sits in the scorching midday heat, it can quickly end up with yellow tips. Your best bet is a location that gets plenty of morning and evening sun, lots of light, and some protection from heavy winds.
A little extra TLC goes a long way
A potted cypress is a bit more demanding than one in the ground. It needs a steady supply of nutrients and water, but you have to walk a fine line: never let it sit in standing water, but don’t let it bone dry out either.
- Water regularly; in the heat of summer, that means at least once a day.
- Only let the very top layer of soil dry out between waterings.
- Use rainwater if you can collect it.
- Fertilize every 2-3 weeks from spring through fall.
- Use a liquid conifer fertilizer (just mix it into your watering can).
- Repot into fresh soil every two years.
Note:
You don’t *have* to prune a cypress, but giving it a light trim before or after the growing season encourages new growth and makes the branches sturdier against the cold. Just remember: never cut back into the old, brown wood!
Keeping it safe through the winter
When kept in a pot, cypress trees aren’t fully winter-hardy. Ideally, they’d love a bright winter spot kept between 40°F and 50°F. If your tree has to stay out on the balcony, you’ll need to bundle it up:
- Move it under a roof or overhang.
- Place it against the house wall (which radiates heat).
- Set the pot on a piece of Styrofoam and wrap the container in insulating film or bubble wrap.
- Wrap the plant itself in burlap.
- Alternatively, surround the base with brushwood or evergreen boughs.
Don’t forget: since it’s an evergreen, your cypress still needs a drink of water on frost-free days during the winter!
