Hesperocyparis abramsiana var. butanoensis

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 San Mateo County within redwood and closed-cone pine/cypress forests at elevations of 400 to 490 meters. While specific flower details are not provided, this cypress is known for its distinctive seed cones approximately 22 to 32 millimeters long and 22 to 31 millimeters in diameter. Growing as an evergreen conifer with a narrow, upright form, it develops a dense, pyramidal structure characteristic of cypress trees. Its branches are typically arranged in tight, overlapping patterns with small, scale-like leaves that provide excellent adaptation to its specific mountain forest habitat. This rare cypress represents an important endemic species of the Santa Cruz Mountain ecosystem, playing a critical role in the local closed-cone forest community.

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

Elevation: 400-490 m

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

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