Hesperocyparis nevadensis

Piute cypress

Family: Cupressaceae · Type: tree · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Piute cypress is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) native tree found in southern Sierra Nevada Mountains in Kern and Tulare counties, growing in pinyon/juniper woodland, oak/pine woodland, chaparral, and closed-cone cypress forest at elevations of 750 to 1,800 meters. Its bark ranges from gray to red-brown or cherry-red, with a distinctive fibrous texture that distinguishes this cypress from other species. Growing 5 to 12 meters tall, with occasional specimens reaching 25 meters, the tree features ultimate branches approximately 1 to 1.2 millimeters in diameter and dull to gray-green leaves with conspicuous resin-covering glands. Its leaves are characterized by a distinctive grayish-green color with prominent resin glands that give the foliage a unique appearance. The tree produces seed cones 20 to 30 millimeters long, often turning silver-gray with age and containing seeds that are 3 to 6 millimeters long, typically light to red-brown and glaucous.

Habitat: Pinyon/juniper or oak/pine woodland, chaparral, closed-cone-cypress forest

Elevation: 750-1800 m

Bioregions: s SN (Kern, Tulare cos.).

California counties: Kern, Ventura, Tulare, Los Angeles

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