I’m no expert but I don’t think they need weekly watering, even if it doesn’t rain. They go weeks without rain in an Italian summer. I would also pull the mulch back from the trunks. And, bottom line, are they suitable for your climate? Do you have high summer heat plus humidity? They would hate that.

the bottom part looks like male dog damage ...

where are you.. big city name.. zone alone isnt good enough ...

why the tiny rectangle of mulch

when planted.. how did you plant it.. what is your native soil.. does it drain properly ...

was it planted on a slant.. or did some kid mangle it ...

ken

was this tree previously potted.. like the one in this post: https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6373497/italian-cypress-help#n=0

I suspect floral has nailed it. This tree is just not well suited to Alabama's climate, Or anywhere in the southeast for that matter.

Thank you all for your comments!

@floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK, I will pull out the mulch from the trunk following your recommendation and cut back the watering. We do have humidity but it's actually been unseasonable cold.

@ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5, we don't have dogs. We're in Auburn, Alabama. We can take out the mulch, We broke down the clay with soil conditioner and planted it with well-drained soil and compost. No kids. It was potted from the nursery but immediately planted.

@gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9), we have seen them around in our town, but I'm guessing they're really hard to maintain, Any suggestion to try to keep them alive will be greatly appreciated!

" Any suggestion to try to keep them alive will be greatly appreciated! "

Move to California or Texas.

Aside from moving, proper watering is key. For the one in ground dig a small hole 4-6 inches deep into the root ball and feel if the soil is damp, if it is don’t water. For the one in a pot, get a long, pointed dowel and stick it deep into the pot. If it come out moist, don’t water. When you do water, give them both a good soaking.

tj

@gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9), it will be hard to take them with me, tho, haha.

@tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱, since I'm not planning on moving soon, thank you so much for your suggestions! I'm going to give them a try. Should I keep them in a lot of sunlight or would they prefer a shady spot?

Thanks, again!

Perfect! So I'll keep them in full sun, cut down on watering and check before doing so, and hope for the best.

Thank you, @tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱!

Elsewhere you have said you are not an experienced conifer grower. I'm just wondering if what you have seen around town were actually Italian Cypress, Cupressus sempervirens, or a similar looking columnar conifer.

@floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK, they are, at least the ones in some businesses because we have asked them (unless they were all wrong). The ones in houses I can't be sure of those!

How long have these been planted? Have they been through a full growing season? Truly, these are not highly recommended for your location.

@gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9), I can look up the exact date, but it's been about two months, the last week of March I think, so they haven't been planted a full season. I can probably part with the big ones if I notice they start to act up too badly, I haven't noticed anything too bad yet, but these little ones were a gift, and I would like to try to not only watch them die and give them a fighting chance.

Are there any specific species that are also columnar (3-4 feet wide) that you would recommend for my area? We wanted to plant more of this type of tree.

Thank you so much!