Hesperocyparis abramsiana var. abramsiana

Santa Cruz Cypress

Family: Cupressaceae · Type: tree · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2 · Threatened

Santa Cruz cypress is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native tree found in the Santa Cruz Mountains in Santa Cruz County within yellow-pine and closed-cone pine/cypress forests at elevations of 370 to 760 meters. Flowering occurs during the plant's reproductive cycle, with seed cones approximately 16 to 25 millimeters long and 14 to 22 millimeters in diameter. Growing as an evergreen conifer with a dense, pyramidal form, it develops a rugged, compact structure characteristic of cypress trees in coastal mountain environments. Its branches are typically dense and compact, with scale-like leaves arranged in tight, overlapping patterns that provide excellent protection in its challenging woodland habitat. As a rare endemic species, the Santa Cruz cypress represents an important component of the unique closed-cone forest ecosystem in its limited geographic range.

Habitat: Yellow-pine, closed-cone-pine/cypress forests

Elevation: 370-760 m

Bioregions: SnFrB (Santa Cruz Mtns, Santa Cruz Co.).

California counties: San Mateo, Santa Cruz

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.