Collecting the Seed

• The standing cypress flowers from May through July. The flowers are arranged along a tall stalk that, to encourage the plant to rebloom, should be cut off after the blooms fade. If you want to collect seed from the plant, allow the seed capsules to completely mature before removing them from the standing cypress plant. The seeds are small, and may drop to the soil, so check the plant daily to snip off capsules that are ready to be harvested. Place a sheet of dark-colored paper on the soil beneath the plant to catch any seeds that fall. The seeds are pale in color and will show up against the dark background.
  
  

Preparing the Seed Bed

• Choose a planting location that receives at least morning sun. Standing cypress will grow in partial shade, but the best flowering occurs in sunny locations. The seeds require loose, airy soil in which to germinate, so dig up the seed bed to a depth of 10 inches and crush the soil until there are no clods larger than half the size of your fist. Standing cypress is susceptible to root rot and its main requirement is quick-draining soil. If you have heavy soil, remove half of it from the seed bed and replace it with grit or coarse sand, blending the material into the native soil.
  
  

Sowing the Seed

• Plan to get the standing cypress seeds into the ground in the fall, while the soil temperature is between 65 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Scatter the seeds over the seed bed for a natural look, plant them in clumps of three or five, or space the seeds 10 to 12 inches apart. Use a rake to lightly mix them into the top of the soil. Keep the seeds slightly moist while they germinate, which should occur within 15 to 30 days. The seedlings look like weeds when they first emerge, so you may want to mark the exact planting area so that they are not inadvertently pulled up.
  
  

Considerations

• Decrease the irrigation frequency when the seedlings reach 6 inches in height. Because of their tendency toward root rot and other fungal diseases, allow the soil to dry between waterings. Standing cypress can become quite tall, so they are best planted in a protected area at the back of the bed. Shade-grown standing cypress have weaker stems than those grown in full sun all day. They may topple over, but rarely break. To avoid this, stake those that become too weak.