Cypresses can be found in almost all Mediterranean climate zones on earth - around the Mediterranean above all, but also in North and Central America and in some parts of Africa, the coniferous trees, which usually grow into the sky in a columnar shape, are often found. A little over 20 different types of cypress are known in total.

There are many cypress species that grow in a columnar manner

Columnar or Mediterranean cypress and its subspecies

The columnar or Mediterranean cypress is particularly typical of the landscape in many regions around the Mediterranean. The plant is particularly common in many Italian regions such as Tuscany (which is why this type of cypress is sometimes also referred to as Tuscany cypress) and in North Africa. The Mediterranean cypress is characterized by a very slender, upright habit and can - given the right conditions, of course - grow up to 20 meters high. There are several subspecies of this type of cypress: Cupressus sempervirens var. horizontalis can be recognized by the horizontally protruding branches, while Cupressus sempervirens var. stricta grows strictly upwards. The Cupressus sempervirens var. atlantica, which only grows in the Moroccan Atlas Mountains, is particularly rare.

Other popular types of cypress

In addition to the Mediterranean cypress, there are other types of cypress that have a more columnar growth. These include i.a.

  • the Leyland cypress or bastard cypress,
  • the Arizona cypress
  • and the Himalayan cypress.

However, only the Leyland cypress is of horticultural importance, which is significantly more robust and also more resistant to frost than the real columnar cypress. Also known as the hybrid cypress, this species is a cross between the Nootka cypress (Xanthocyparis nootkatensis) and the Monterey cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa) and is one of the fastest growing cypress species. Leyland cypresses can grow up to 30 meters high, are very tolerant of pruning and are ideal for planting hedges.

Columnar cypresses

In addition to the real cypresses, there are also so-called false cypresses, which are very similar to the real ones in their habit. Lawson's cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana), also known as Oregon cedar due to its North American origin, can often be found in gardens. There are an estimated 200 different cultivars of this cypress species with different characteristics, including varieties with yellow or blue-green leaves and various dwarf forms.

tips

If you have small children or animals at home, it is better not to plant cypresses: they are always poisonous.

Category:

Trees