Cypress (tree)

Cypress (tree), common name for several related coniferous, or cone-bearing, trees and shrubs. The common cypress, native to the region surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, is a symmetrical evergreen and often reaches a height of more than 27 m (about 90 ft). It has a close-grained yellow or reddish wood so resinous that it resists rotting even after prolonged submersion in water. The Monterey cypress is an even larger tree found on the Pacific Coast in California. It sometimes grows as tall as 46 m (about 150 ft), with a base trunk circumference of 3 m (10 ft). This cypress is normally symmetrical but is often distorted into fantastic shapes by the action of the winds. Another true cypress is the cedar of Goa, or Portugal cedar, which is often planted in the United States for the decorative effect of its spreading branches.

Several species of cypress have been listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). These include the Chinese cypress, native to regions of China; and the Saharan cypress, native to Algeria and Morocco. The survival of these trees is threatened by habitat destruction due to human development and climate change.

Among trees to which the name cypress is often applied are two trees of the western United States, the Port Orford cedar and the yellow cedar, and a pine of the eastern United States, the white cedar. These are so-called false cypress. The bald cypress is a valuable timber tree of Mexico and the southern United States. It is deciduous, with a massive trunk as much as 52 m (170 ft) high. This tree grows at the edges of swamps or streams, and its roots form natural crooks, or knees, that extend above the water. The knees are frequently usedin the construction of wooden boats.

Scientific classification: Cypress make up the family Cupressaceae. The common cypress is classified as Cupressus sempervirens, the Monterey cypress as Cupressus macrocarpa, the cedar of Goa as Cupressus lusitanica, the Chinese cypress as Cupressus duclouxiana, the Saharan cypress as Cupressus dupreziana, the Port Orford cedar as Chamaecyparis lawsoniana, the yellow cedar as Chamaecyparis nootkatensis, and the white cedar as Chamaecyparis thyoides. The bald cypress is classified as Taxodium distichum, of the family Taxodiaceae.