Italian Cypress Tree. Cupressus sempervirens, Cypress Family ( Cupressaceae ), Italian Cypress Tree. Also called: Funeral Cypress, Mediterranean Cypress. We wish to thank Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia for some of the information on this page. We share images and information with Wikipedia. Cupressus sempervirens, the Italian Cypress (also known as IMediterranean, Tuscan, or Graveyard Cypress, or Pencil Pine) is a species of cypress native to the eastern Mediterranean region, in northeast Libya, southeast Greece (Crete, Rhodes), southern Turkey, Cyprus, Northern Egypt, western Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Malta, Italy, western Jordan, and also a disjunct population in Iran. In classical antiquity, the cypress was a symbol of mourning and in the modern era it remains the principal cemetery tree in both the Muslim world and Europe. In the classical tradition, the cypress was associated with death and the underworld because it failed to regenerate when cut back too severely. Cupressus sempervirens is a remarkably tall, slender, evergreen, almost pencil-shaped tree. Height can reach 110 feet; spread is seldom more than 8 foot. The foliage is needle-like and dark green at all times of year. Cones develop in climates that have a cold winter. Cupressus sempervirens has a conic crown with level branches and variably pendulous branchlets. It is very long-lived, with some trees having been reported to be over 1,000 years old. The foliage grows in dense juniper like sprays, dark green in color. The leaves are scale-like, 3/4 " to 2 " long, and produced on rounded (not flattened) shoots. The seed cones are ovoid to oblong in form, 1 1/4 " to 1 3/4 " long, with 10-14 scales, green at first, maturing brown in color, about 20-24 months after pollination. The male cones are 3-5 mm long, and release pollen in February-March. It has a single gray trunk. It grows well in any well drained soil in full sun. It is used as a background plant, tall border, a screen or a specimen tree for formal gardens. It can also be used as a windbreak. Quick Notes: Height: Usually to 80 feet, with 1/10th spread. Can reach 110 feet in some areas. Flowers: Inconspicuous. Flowering Time: Southern Arizona, March - April. Phoenix Area, April - May. Leaves: The leaves are needle-like or scale-like and dark green. 3/4 " to 2 " long, and produced on rounded (not flattened) shoots. Bark: Thin, green when young, changing to gray as it ages. Fruit: 1.5 inch across; round, brown cones. Found: Native of Southern Europe and Western Asia. Hardiness: USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 �C (10 �F) USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 �C (15 �F) USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 �C (20 �F) USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 �C (25 �F) USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 �C (30 �F) USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 �C (35 �F) Soil pH requirements: 5.6 to 6.0 (acidic) 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic) 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral) 7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline) 7.9 to 8.5 (alkaline) Sun Exposure: Full Sun Elevation: Can be found growing from 0 - 2,000 feet in Arizona. Said to grow best from 1,640 - 6,561 feet. But, not so in Arizona. Habitat: Lower elevations where water is available. Likes fertile soil with good drainage. Very little unkeep is needed. Native to rocky mountainous areas, usually near the coast, in S. Europe. Miscellaneous: Photos Taken January 24, 2006. Arrowhead Ranch, Glendale, Arizona. Maintenance: Low.

Click On Any Of The Following Links By Amazon.Com
To View Tools For Desert or Arizona Gardening. No Obligation!