Italian Cypress

Italian cypress (Cupressus sempervirens, Cupressaceae) is a long-lived conifer (1,000-plus years documented) native to the mountains of northern Iran, Turkey, and the eastern Mediterranean islands of Crete and Cyprus, naturalized throughout the Mediterranean region. The cultivated columnar form (var. sempervirens or stricta) reaches 30 to 35 feet typically (up to 115 feet), with a tight fastigiate habit only about 16 feet wide. Dense sprays of dull dark green, uniform scale-like leaves (2 to 5 millimeters) clothe ascending branches.

Italian cypress grows in full sun on moist soils (pH 4.5 to 8.5), hardy in Zones 7 to 8. It tolerates drought, salt, and alkaline conditions. Documented diseases include canker and root rot; bagworms are an occasional pest. The columnar form, unknown in the wild, is the shape most associated with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern landscapes. Cultivars include 'Stricta' (classic columnar, 20 feet), 'Swane's Golden' (golden new foliage, 15 to 20 feet), 'Tiny Tower' (30 feet, slow-growing), and 'Glauca' (silvery-blue foliage). All parts are listed as poisonous.