Monterey cypress
5
6Will it grow where I live?
Monterey cypress is only hardy to zone 8, so outdoors year-round it needs the mildest spots in Central Europe – wine-growing regions, the Rhine valley, coasts, Lake Constance, Ticino – or a container overwintered under cover. Most of the British Isles and the Pacific coast of North America qualify.
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Profile
- Family
- Cupressaceae
- Habit
- Tree
- Height
- 25 m
- Spread
- 6 m
- Growth
- medium
- Lifespan
- 120 years
- First yield
- after 8 years
- Hardiness
- zone 8–10
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Soil
- Sand, Silt, Loam
- Soil moisture
- dry – very moist
- pH
- 5 – 7.5
- Synonyms
- C. lambertiana.
Uses
Medicinal: The fruits can be used as a cooling light cleanser or moisturizer for the skin. They also serve as a first-aid treatment for burns and abrasions. The flowers have expectorant and emetic properties. The fruit aids digestion. The seed has cough-suppressing, digestion-promoting, fever-reducing, and anthelmintic effects. When used as an anthelmintic, the whole seed, including the seed coat, is ground into fine powder, mixed with water to form an emulsion, and consumed. It is then necessary to take a laxative to expel tapeworms or other parasites from the body. The root acts as a diuretic and emetic.
Origin & habitat
Southwestern North America - California.
Rocky or gravelly soils of canyons and gorges, 1000 - 2650 meters. The plant thrives in rocky or gravelly soils found in canyons and gorges at elevations ranging from 1000 to 2650 meters.
⚠️ Hazards
Probably toxic due to its essential oils, as with all cypresses.
Frequently asked questions
Monterey cypress: how big does it get?
Monterey cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa) grows as a Tree and reaches roughly 25 m in height when mature, with a spread of about 6 m. Growth is medium.
Monterey cypress: what site does it need?
Monterey cypress tolerates light shade. Suitable soils are Sand, Silt, Loam. Soil moisture should be in the range dry – very moist. The pH may lie between 5 and 7.5.
Monterey cypress: is it hardy?
Monterey cypress is listed as hardy in zone 8–10 and survives normal winters outdoors there.
Monterey cypress: will it grow in Central Europe?
Monterey cypress is only hardy to zone 8, so outdoors year-round it needs the mildest spots in Central Europe – wine-growing regions, the Rhine valley, coasts, Lake Constance, Ticino – or a container overwintered under cover. Most of the British Isles and the Pacific coast of North America qualify.
Monterey cypress: is it poisonous?
Individual parts of Monterey cypress are noted as mildly problematic — the plant does not count as poisonous. With wild plants, never rely on a database alone, only on a confident identification.
Monterey cypress: what is it used for?
Rated on a scale up to 10: Medicinal 5/10, Other uses 6/10.
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