Arizona cypress is native to the canyons and rocky hillsides of the American Southwest, where it has long contended with drought, heat, and poor soils — and thrived. In the garden, that toughness translates directly: once established, it demands little beyond a well-drained site and full sun. The silvery-blue to teal foliage holds its color through every season, and the sturdy yet lacy branches carry a subtle aromatic quality that becomes especially welcome cut for holiday arrangements.

Given room to grow — and it will grow, reaching 40 to 60 feet at maturity with a broad conical crown — Arizona cypress makes a commanding screen or windbreak. Plant specimens at least 7 feet apart if screening is the goal. Growth runs 4 to 8 inches per year, which is respectable without being unruly. Moderately deer-resistant and salt tolerant, it is one of the more sensible choices among fast-growing evergreens for zones 7 through 11, particularly where summers are punishing and rainfall cannot be counted on.