How To Take Care Of Your Lemon Cypress Bonsai Tree

Cupressus Macrocarpa Bonsai Care

About The Lemon Cypress Bonsai Tree

The lemon Cypress is a form of  Monterey cypress with a brilliant light green (almost yellow-ish) foliage.

The most unique feature, is the scent.  Rubbing the foliage between your fingers will release a distinctly lemon aroma into the air.

It is a versatile tree that can remain indoor all year long.

Placement

The lemon cypress is a semi-tropical plant and does not like to get too cold.  When the temperature drops below 50 degrees, time to bring your Lemon Cypress bonsai tree indoors. It loves light, and should get plenty of it during the growing season. 

Watering

The lemon cypress, like most bonsai trees, will die if it dries out.  It enjoys plenty of water in well draining soil. Never let it dry out completely.

Humidity

The lemon cypress enjoys humidity in the drier months, and a suitable humidity drip tray will provide plenty.

Fertilizing

Since your lemon cypress bonsai is in a small pot, and not the ground, it needs nutrients.  A slow release (pellet based) fertilizer is perfect for this, and can be added sparingly every 1-2 months during the growing season.

Pruning & Trimming

Trim back the new growth to the farthest safe point that looks good to you — but never remove all of the new growth.

A regular trim will help keep your lemon cypress bonsai tree short, while helping the trunk grow thicker.

Repotting

Repotting must be performed periodically on your bonsai, lemon cypress included, when its root system has filled the pot.  If you can clearly see the roots coming out of the bottom of the pot, it’s time to repot your bonsai.

Generally, this means every 2-3 years for a deciduous tree and every 4-5 years for an evergreen.  lemon cypress, being semi-tropical, will need to be repotted around every 3-4 years depending on its environment.

Repotting should be done in mid-summer, when the tree is at it’s least fragile state.

Your lemon cypress bonsai, along with all of its soil, should be removed from the pot.  From there, you can trim away no more than 1/3rd of the root mass (1/4th is preferred.) 

Then you can repot the tree in the same pot, or give it a newer / bigger pot to thrive in.

After repotting, your bonsai lemon cypress should be thoroughly watered.

Diseases, Insects & Other Pests

Your lemon cypress bonsai can be treated for pests like a normal lemon cypress tree.  Just remember, your tree is miniature and will need a much smaller and more gentile dose of treatment.