[marniesmith]

I am making flower beds up against my house.
I would like mulch, but am afaid of termites. Someone told me that they don't eat or live in cypress mulch. Is that true?

[Emland]

I have heard that, too. I don't know for sure, though.

[ballengerb1]

Cypress mulch repells insects but not all cypress is the same. Some of the cheaper mulch is made from the whole tree, not just the bark. If termites are your only concern you should be fine with cypress.

[MOWERMAN2468]

I too have heard this, but I personally don't want to take the risk of possibly giving them a hotel to live in next to my home.

[ballengerb1]

Cypress mulch does make sense since it repells insects. If a termite has a choice between cypress mulch and the rest of your lawn or yard he will go for the yard which piuts him further away from the home.

[jeffreyd00]

The $2.00 a bag Cypress Mulch found at Wal-Mart, Lowe's, Home Depot and local garden centers is made from entire trees! The trees used to make mulch today are not mature enough to have developed the heart wood that is found in the old growth trees (500 years old) which is insect and rot resistant.

Here is the real problem. The trees that are used are being harvested at an alarming rate. They are taken from clear cuts and entire eco-systems are being destroyed just to make cypress mulch. I know it sounds insane and implausible but it is true and documented.
FAQs - Save Our Cypress Coalition - Cypress Mulch Campaign

Worse yet, once cut, they do not grow back due to various changes in the hydrology and invasive species that out compete the cypress. In a nut shell, once cut, they are gone forever!

There are many great alternatives to cypress mulch. You can view a list of them on the Save Our Cypress Coalition website - Sustainable Alternatives to Cypress Mulch

So select an alternative to cypress and leave the trees in place. After all they serve as the best natural storm defense for the southern states that need it most.

[ballengerb1]

So Jeff, you read a post that has been dormant for a month and a half and decide to jump in, well you are welcome but you better do your homework before you start rating people as inaccurate because your opinion differs. All grades of cypress but heartwood repels insects. Utility grade cypress is the cheap stuff at home centers and gas stations, it decays quicker and they make no claim of insect repellent quality but they do for other, better grades.Untitled Document

[jeffreyd00]

Ballengerb1, Regardless of what perceived qualities cypress mulch may or may not have it should not be used because of the long term impacts the harvesting methods have on the environment. Use alternatives.

[ballengerb1]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I do not discount your conservationist views. That was not part of the persons question if you recall. It looks to me that you did not accurately state information to support you view. Your statement about heartwood was the reverse of the correct info, heartwood is the cheap stuff not the good stuff. This was your first post so maybe you aren't familiar with how AMHD works but we do not rate others as inaccurate just because we have a divergent opinion.

[abigf150fan]

Try reading the termite and mulch study done by UF. The only part of cypress shown to repel termites is heartwood. However, there is very little if any in utility mulch. So the answer wood be yes they will eat the mulch you buy at your typical garden department.