Cupressus sempervirens
Tall, narrow evergreen conifer with a columnar habit native to the eastern Mediterranean and Iran, drought-tolerant and adaptable to well-drained soils, widely grown for ornamental use and windbreaks, with serotinous cones that open after heat.
Common Names
Italian Cypress, Mediterranean Cypress, Pencil Pine, Persian Cypress, Tuscan Cypress, Common Cypress
Summary
It is an evergreen conifer with a tall, narrow columnar habit, typically 40–60 ft tall and 3–6 ft wide, native to the eastern Mediterranean region; leaves are dark green, scale-like with a resinous odor when touched; cones measure about 2–3 cm and persist on the tree, carrying 8–14 scales and 8–20 seeds per cone, with cones opening after heat (serotiny).
Growing conditions include full sun and well-drained soils, tolerating chalk, clay, loam, or sand and a pH range from acidic to alkaline; drought-tolerant once established and tolerant of wind and atmospheric pollutants, with moderate salt spray tolerance; hardy in USDA zones 7–11; propagation by seed or semi-hardwood cuttings; pruning requirements are minimal; landscape uses include accent plant, screening, windbreak, and formal landscapes; pests include mites and bagworms; root rot in poorly drained soils; canker may occur.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
40-60 feet
Spread
3-6 feet
Hardiness Zones
Zones 7-11
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally full sun, with options for partial sun or partial shade.
Soil Type
Well-drained soil; textures including sandy, loamy, or clay; pH roughly 5.5–7.5 (slightly acidic to slightly alkaline).
Soil Drainage
Well-drained soil
Soil pH
Tolerates all pH levels
Bloom Color
Insignificant
Bloom Time
Spring
Foliage Color
Dark green
Fall Foliage Color
No fall color change; evergreen
Leaf Lifecycle
Evergreen needle
Growth Rate
About 6–12 inches per year (15–30 cm/year) initially, with rapid growth when young that slows with age to little or no growth when mature.
Seasons of Interest
Fall, Winter, Spring and Fall, Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Cuttings, Layering
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts bees, butterflies, other pollinators, and birds
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- L.
- Publication
- Sp. Pl. 1002. (1753)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Pinophyta
- Class
- Pinopsida
- Subclass
- Cupressidae
- Order
- Cupressales
- Family
- Cupressaceae
- Genus
- Cupressus
Synonyms
Juniperus whitleyana Chamaecyparis thujiformis Cupressus conoidea Cupressus elongata Cupressus expansa Cupressus fastigiata Cupressus foemina Cupressus globulifera Cupressus horizontalis Cupressus lugubris Cupressus mas Cupressus orientalis Cupressus patula Cupressus pyramidalis Cupressus sempervirens var. stricta Cupressus sempervirens f. stricta Cupressus stricta Cupressus thujifolia Cupressus thujiformis Cupressus thujioides Cupressus tournefortii Cupressus sempervirens subsp. horizontalis Cupressus horizontalis var. pendula Cupressus sempervirens f. numidica Cupressus sempervirens var. pendula Cupressus sempervirens var. globulifera Cupressus sempervirens var. sphaerocarps Cupressus sempervirens var. umbilicata Cupressus sempervirens var. pyramidalis Cupressus sempervirens f. horizontalis Cupressus horizontalis Cupressus mariae Cupressus roylei Cupressus sempervirens var. horizontalis Cupressus sphaerocarpa