Maybe he's selling F2 seedlings because the original cross is extremely hard to root, compared to C. X leylandii & C. X ovensii. That's what I've been told by a very experienced Pacific Northwest nurseryman who tried to stock both C. X ovensii & C. X notabilis. Makes me wonder if this Louisiana guy's source plant is even the real thing. Notably (!) the NCSU arboretum doesn't even have one, and it's the type of thing they should. Rare as hen's teeth...

I don't know where he obtains them, but they appear as correct??? Resin - ? any thoughts?

I stuck only one cutting yesterday however a buddy is going to stick a flat's worth of cuttings (under mist - ideal conditions this time of the year), today-actually.

These are rare! You bet.

Dax

Nice pictures Dax. The trunk seems to be showing signs of the flaking bark behavior per the adult in Resin's pictures at the link. No evidence of the droopy foliage yet. Frankly I wondered if these were not just Leyland Cypress.
From one year in the ground in Z8 Tx when compared to Leyland Cypress they seem to be slower growing, more drought-resistant, and at least as heat resistant. They have exact same look as those Dax has potted.

They have adult foliage, so they are grafts or cuttings, not seedlings. The foliage does look a mite odd though, I'm not 100% sure they're correctly identified. But it may just be that they're a bit stunted by their growing conditions.

Resin

Thanks for replying Resin. No graft union...

Dax

No graft union...

Resin is right, they are not seedlings. Foliage of seedlings is completely different. On pics #6 and #8 there was a side shoot being cut. Diameter too big for a seedling. The stem is not straight. If not grafted, cuttings.

I just hope they aren't Cupressus x leylandii. I have no experience to know. I guess I'll see.

Dax

Let me ask this, isn't the normal way to get a hybrid commercially is that one takes cuttings of an existing tree and propogates them? The original existing hybrid tree is generated by meticulous cross pollination of the different parent trees, but have always assumed that was risky and that nearly all hybrids sold were developed from cuttings or grafts. Leyland Cypress comes to mind.

Hey scotjute,

I can say that all the premises you speak of are certainly right and with the same token of respect, seedling-understocks of Abies koreana x lasiocarpa are produced in mass quantity in Europe (from seed grown in plantations).

Nothotsuga, what's your opinion if you have one, what these are? I thought I'd ask.

Thanks,

Dax

Another hybrid that is typically seed-grown is Larix marschlinsii. I'd tried to get F-1s but they are apparently unobtainium. No matter though. The seed-run are doing real well. Some are 7 ft. tall after three growing seasons. This from an aprox. one-foot start.

dip

Nothotsuga, what's your opinion if you have one, what these are?

Not sure, because there will be different kinds of hybrids displaying different foliages some closer to one or the other parent. Colour looks right though.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:689825}}

Dax, I don't think that your pics are showing us the right Cupressus x notabilis.
The colour of the one's at your pics isn't blue enough.
I grew these in the past at my nursery and received propagation material from the Bedgebury Pinetum in England.
These were propagated both ways, by grafting on Cupressus x leylandii and by cuttings.
Both ways were succesful, rooting cuttings was as easy as with the leylandii.

Nothotsuga shows us the same one which I had at my nursery.

I'm going to try to remember to photograph these again.

Dax

There isn't any doubt from observing the four plants that I have that there were two clones that the propagator made all their plants, from. One is slightly-green, however, both are glaucous. There's a blue tint that's unmistakable. I managed to get clear photos of one of them.

And a good point to be made would be that an Alaskan-cypress cross, would be a good tree for, Louisiana.

Maybe this will make the difference.

Dax

{{gwi:689842}}

{{gwi:689843}}

{{gwi:689844}}

correction: an Alaskan cypress cross wouldn't be a good tree for Louisiana.

Dax

Hey Dax how are your trees doing? I was also wondering how your baker cypress are doing. I didn't see any updates on how they did in your climate. By any chance do you know where I can buy cupressus notabilis online.

Whatever happened they didn't make it. Wish I had more for ya but I don't recall them ever being planted... so they must have died in their containers.

Dax

Someone identified these trees as being "Ovensii", a cross between Alaskan Cypress and C. lusitania (spelling?). I still have several growing here in Texas. The Louisiana Christmas Tree Forest apparently went out of business. There are several examples of C. glabra growing in north Louisiana, both Carolina Sapphire and Clemson Greenspire cypress. Doing fine at moment, but way too soon to say they are successful there.

I think it more likely they were ovensii. Actually two different PNW nurserymen told me notabilis was hard to root...I think the above comment was before I spoke with Mike Lee of Colvos...so notwithstanding Edwin's remark, I think that probably explains why it has hardly ever been in US commerce.

I bought a few "Murray Cypress" on ebay and they were a dead match for the C. x ovensii sold by Colvos Creek. So I think it's currently sold under that name in the south, for whatever reason. Some belief a guy by that name "discovered" it or something. Was as hardy for me in the polar winters as plain old leylandii, and doesn't have any foliar issues so far. (Leylandii here got a smattering of canker and bagworms, but not enough to kill them, unfortunately lol)

Btw numerous C. glabra are known around the mid and upper south, but I think they do better, long term, on dry or sandy soil. Mine has never grown very well and will be cut down soon; its mystery offspring allowed to replace it.

Ok thanks for the information. I bought three Carolina sapphires this summer so I'll see if they will make it through the winter. How large do the C. glabra get in the south?

My tallest Carolina is around 15' last year. About 8 yrs old. Z8 Texas.

The biggest C. glabra I have seen within 50 miles of Waco are ~50-60' tall. Just guessing but diameter will be about 2.5-3'. (never actually measured a big one).

Blue Ice is the C. glabra cultivar that has best record of surviving cold.

As luck would have it, I have one of those trees! Dax sent it to me a few years ago. Thanks, Dax. It's still in a pot, but I'm going to find a place this Fall to plant it. Nothing extraordinary about it other than it's rarity.