The ‘Blue Ice’ Arizona Cypress is an interesting Christmas tree specimen that deviates from the usual dark green to bright green foliage of traditional holiday trees. As the name suggests, you get treated to a spectacular blue-green show in the yard or living room.
Let’s take a look at what makes Blue Ice Christmas Tree a worthy addition to your holiday festivities.
Is Blue Ice Cypress a Good Christmas Tree?
‘Blue Ice’ is an Arizona Cypress variety and also takes the name ‘Blue Pyramid’ due to its foliage color and growth habit. The most striking characteristic is its unusual blue-green foliage that’s reminiscent of blue pines.
Aside from its striking leaf color, Blue Ice Cypress has a surprisingly soft and dense texture. One outstanding feature of a Blue Ice Christmas tree is its fragrance. In close proximity you get a whiff of resin that pervades from forests.
However, if you brush the foliage or rub the needles together it emits a pleasant aroma that’s reminiscent of mint and lemon. The tree’s fragrance becomes more apparent when you start decorating or putting lights around it.
Like other Christmas tree varieties, Blue Ice assumes a natural pyramid habit and is easily trimmed to assume the shape. Since it’s denser than most you may have a bit of trouble hanging decorations, so it may be best to choose a specimen that has a lot of space in-between branches.
Why Choose a Blue Ice Christmas Tree?
Novelty
Having a Christmas tree that’s not colored green is a novelty you can try. Blue Ice Cypress has all the makings of a traditional holiday tree, sans the dark or bright green foliage. The color depth can be matched with white or silver-themed decorations to provide an interesting contrast.
Hardy
Blue Ice can thrive in zones 7 to 9, as well as drought conditions fairly well. Plus, the tree requires very low maintenance and tends to keep its shape throughout the growth cycle. Outside the house, Blue Ice cypress can be grown as a border specimen or privacy screen without too much work.
Pleasant Aroma
Those who want a christmas tree that exudes a fragrant aroma can take to Blue Ice Cypress and be completely satisfied. The refreshing and intriguing mix of lemon and mint invigorates the senses and makes for an excellent accompanying memory of times spent with friends and family.
How to Care for a Blue Ice Christmas Tree
The ‘Blue Ice’ cypress tends to prefer warm weather rather than frost and winter, which makes it ideal to grow in zones 7 to 9. The cypress tree variety can be planted in areas that get full sun, as well as partial shade.
Any type of soil will do, but it has to be well-drained. Blue Ice can tolerate drought, but for the best growth, it is recommended that you irrigate regularly and when you see the soil surface is dry. Too little water can cause the tree to drop leaves to conserve water.
In optimal conditions, Blue Ice Cypress can grow 1 foot per year and reach a maximum of 15 feet in height, and an 8-feet spread when it matures. Once the tree reaches this stage it becomes very tolerant of drought and will only need watering once or twice a month without rainfall.
It’s worth noting that Blue Ice Cypress is sterile and cannot be propagated using seeds. To multiply, you will need to take stem cuttings and put them in a rich and moist soil media. After a month or two, the cutting should have formed roots and turned into a ‘seedling’ that has the original Blue Ice characteristics.
Related Article: How Long to Grow a 6 Foot Christmas Tree