Cupressus macrocarpa Hartw. ex Gord.

Fully-hardy fast-growing, evergreen, conical or columnar tree, becoming broadly spreading with age, with shallowly-ridged bark, pointed, lemon-scented leaves, to 2mm long, in densely packed, erect or spreading sprays, and spherical brown female cones, to 3cm across.  To 30m.  [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers’].

Horticultural & Botanical History

Introduced to Britain in 1847.  [JD].  ‘Coast of California south of the Bay of Monterey, occupying an area about two miles long and two hundred yards wide from Cypress Point to the shores of Carmel Bay, with a small grove on Point Lobos, the southern boundary of the bay.  Universally cultivated in the Pacific states from Vancouver Island to Lower California, and often used in hedges and for wind-breaks; occasionally planted in the southeastern states; much planted in western and southern Europe, temperate South America, and in Australia and New Zealand.’  [Manual of the Trees of North America.  Sargent.  p.78/1905].

History at Camden Park

Listed only in the 1857 catalogue [C.32/1857]. 

Notes

Cupressus macrocarpa A.Cunn. (1820) is probably not Macarthur’s plant.  An invalid name, I’m unsure to which plant it refers.

Published Aug 01, 2009 - 04:57 PM | Last updated Jul 16, 2010 - 04:57 PM


More details about Cupressus macrocarpa Hartw. ex Gord.
Family Cupressaceae
Category
Region of origin

Western USA

Synonyms
  • Cupressus macrocarpa var. lambertiana Mast.
  • Cupressus lambertiana Carriére
  • Callitropsis macrocarpa (Hartw.) D.P.Little
Common Name

Monterey cypress

Name in the Camden Park Record

Cupressus macrocarpa

Confidence level high