What kind of tree is this?

[davidgpo]

Hello,

I've had this tree in my front yard for the last 30 years. I don't know what kind of tree it is, does anyone know?

Everytime it snows some branchs hang low and I wire it back up with baling wire.
The wires usually break after several years. I want to know if I should cut these low branches or continue to wire them back up? Or is there a better method of caring for this tree?

David

 

[Ianab]

Italian cypress ( Cupressus sempervirens) ??

If it's not that I think it's one of the cupressus varities anyway.

Cheers

Ian

 

[BonsaiJedi]

I am going to vote for Leyland Cypress but if you could post close ups of the foliage we could nail it down better

 

[davidgpo]

Hello,

Here is a closeup shot.

By the way the first photo was entitled "Barb's trip to St Louis". I left the photo in the camera that my wife took to St. Louis. The tree resides at my home in Bellevue, WA. This may make a difference in determining the specie.

David

 

[Thetreewisemen]

Incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens)? Or maybe a variety of Juniperus?

 

[BonsaiJedi]

Looking at the close up I want to guess it is a cultivar of Chamaecyparis pisifera, but admittedly nothing is jumping out at me. When stuck on conifer cultivar ID before I have emailed Blue Sterling nursery in NJ at [email protected]
or Iseli's Nursery in the NW at [email protected]
I have had good luck getting someone to help me and chances are one of them bred it to begin with!

 

[elmnut]

Pyramidal juniper, "sky-rocket" most likely, maybe "wichata blue", or "moon-glow". I would go with "sky-rocket" though, pretty common landscape plant. Keep on wiring it up!

 

[treedoc1]

30 years is awhile ago

How about an older cultivar?

Juniperus communis 'Hibernica'

IRISH JUNIPER

 

[davidgpo]

OK, I won't trim the droopy boughs. I will keep wiring it up. Maybe I should find a heavier duty wire so I won't have to do this every year!

David

 

[davidgpo]

I've got it all wired up and it's looking much better.

Do you think it would be a good idea to top it? Would there be any side effects from topping?

David

 

[Thetreewisemen]

Topping?????!!!!

 

[davidgpo]

By topping, I meant to cut the top of the tree off by 5 feet or so.

 

[spongygumz]

topping

didn't topping trees go the same way as pouring concrete into cavities?duh!!

 

[Husky137]

By topping, I meant to cut the top of the tree off by 5 feet or so.

Sort of like cutting your head off so you can fit in your bathtub better. Not a good plan, unless you really want the tree to go.