birdandhike.com logo
Home | Vegetation | Plant Species | Evergreen Trees
Arizona Cypress (Hesperocyparis arizonica)
Evergreen Trees (Conifers), Vegetation Around Las Vegas
Arizona Cypress (Cupressus arizonica)
Arizona Cypress in Gold Butte National Monument

General: Arizona Cypress (Hesperocyparis arizonica) is a coniferous (cone-bearing) tree with tiny, scale-like leaves (like a juniper) and a knobby-round cone about the size of a ping-pong ball.

In Nevada, Arizona Cypress is a rare component of the montane vegetation on the north side of Virgin Peak (south of Mesquite, Nevada) in the Upper Sonoran (Pinyon-Juniper Woodland) life zone. Two small populations are known from this location, although more probably exist in the area. This species is common in Arizona.

Family: Cypress (Cupressaceae). Formerly Cupressus arizonica.

Plant Form: Upright conifer tree.

Height: 30 to 50 feet.

Arizona Cypress (Cupressus arizonica)
Arizona Cypress pollen cones

Trunk: Straight and tall.

Bark: Bark smooth, thin, peeling in thin strips or plates, cherry-red.

Branches: Youngest shoots 4-sided.

Needles: Scale-like (similar to juniper needles); dull green.

Cones: Round, reddish brown, woody; cone-scales with flat surface and a point in the center, to 1 inch diameter.

Seeds: Seed small (less than 1/3 inch), brown.

Arizona Cypress (Cupressus arizonica)
Arizona Cypress seed cone

Habitat: Brushy mountains in the Pinyon-Juniper Woodland habitat type.

Elevation: 3,000 to 4,000 feet.

Distribution: California to Arizona, south into central Mexico.

Comments: As far as is known, there is only one native specimen in Nevada (Virgin Mountains), although they are common in Arizona and are planted as windbreaks.

Arizona Cypress (Cupressus arizonica)Arizona Cypress in a mixed woodland in Arizona Arizona Cypress (Cupressus arizonica)
Arizona Cypress after a fire in Gold Butte National Monument
Arizona Cypress (Cupressus arizonica)
Arizona Cypress trunk bark; base of tree
Arizona Cypress (Cupressus arizonica)
Arizona Cypress trunk bark; lower trunk
Arizona Cypress (Cupressus arizonica)
Arizona Cypress trunk bark; upper trunk
Arizona Cypress (Cupressus arizonica)
Arizona Cypress trunk bark, top of the tree
Arizona Cypress (Cupressus arizonica)
Arizona Cypress branchlets
Arizona Cypress (Cupressus arizonica)
Arizona Cypress branchlets
Arizona Cypress (Cupressus arizonica)
Arizona Cypress stems with developing pollen cones
Arizona Cypress (Cupressus arizonica)
Arizona Cypress stems with developing pollen cones
Arizona Cypress (Cupressus arizonica)
Arizona Cypress with scale-like leaves
Arizona Cypress (Cupressus arizonica)
Arizona Cypress with scale-like leaves
Arizona Cypress (Cupressus arizonica)
Scale-like leaves are gland dotted
Arizona Cypress (Cupressus arizonica)
Scale-like leaves are gland dotted
Arizona Cypress (Cupressus arizonica)
Arizona Cypress female cones and gray stem bark
Arizona Cypress (Cupressus arizonica)
Arizona Cypress female cones and gray stem bark
Arizona Cypress (Cupressus arizonica)
Arizona Cypress: ripe female cone opening
Arizona Cypress (Cupressus arizonica)
Arizona Cypress female cones with seeds
Arizona Cypress (Cupressus arizonica)
Arizona Cypress female cones with seeds
Arizona Cypress (Cupressus arizonica)
Arizona Cypress: old female cone open after dropping seeds

Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.
copyright; Last updated 240615

All Conifers Plant Species Index Glossary Copyright, Conditions, Disclaimer Home
Google Ads