Wissel’s Saguaro Lawson Cypress is a cultivar of the Lawson cypress tree that grows in a contorted, upright form resembling a saguaro cactus. Its whimsical appearance has been compared to the imaginative creations of Dr. Seuss, and it can add a playful touch to any landscape. Wissel’s Saguaro cypress is a hardy and low-maintenance tree that can thrive in a variety of growing conditions.

When I bought this tree/shrub in 2015 the nursery tag read ‘Rare!’. I now see them everywhere, and I’m not surprised, this attractive conifer is probably very popular. A stalwart of my deck garden, it’s weathered really dry spells with aplomb and continues to be a fantastic accent that always looks great. I’ve had to knock off some dead needles around the trunk which I think is due to my underwatering in late summer, but new branches sprout from the trunk and it always recovers nicely.

UPDATE Spring 2023: Unfortunately I root-pruned this poor tree right before the summer drought of 2022. Sadly I didn’t water it enough and it lost a bunch of needles. As fall set in, I pruned it hard and lopped off the top (it was getting too tall for the pot and had blown over a couple of times). It’s survived the butchering and I’m looking forward to seeing some spring growth soon.