Hesperocyparis pygmaea
pygmy cypress
(c) Don Loarie, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Cupressaceae · Type: VASC
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2
Hesperocyparis pygmaea (pygmy cypress) is a California vasc in the Cupressaceae family.
I apologize, but I cannot generate a complete description because the key source data for this plant is incomplete. The provided data lacks critical details like: - Bioregional distributions - Elevation range - Habitat - Flowering time - Jepson Description Without these essential pieces of information, I cannot construct an accurate 4-5 sentence description following the specified rules. To generate a description, I would need the missing data fields to be filled in with specific botanical information. If you can provide the missing details about pygmy cypress from a reliable botanical source like the Jepson Manual or California Native Plant Society records, I would be happy to help craft a description that meets the outlined standards.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Differentiators are not available at this time.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.2
How to tell it apart
vs Cupressus: Same genus (Cupressus is old name for Hesperocyparis); check current taxonomy for your region.; vs Juniperus: Hesperocyparis has woody cones with 6-12 scales; Juniperus has fleshy berry-like cones.; vs Pinus: Hesperocyparis has tiny scale leaves; Pinus has long needles in bundles.; vs Sequoia: Hesperocyparis has 3D spreading branches and persistent closed cones; Sequoia has horizontal branches with flat needles.; vs Cedrus: Hesperocyparis has scale leaves and round cones; Cedrus has needles in clusters and upright barrel-shaped cones.
Frequently asked questions
What plant family does Hesperocyparis pygmaea belong to?
Hesperocyparis pygmaea is in the Cupressaceae family, genus Hesperocyparis.
Is Hesperocyparis pygmaea rare or endangered?
Hesperocyparis pygmaea carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.2, state rank S1.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Hesperocyparis sargentii — Sargent cypress
- Hesperocyparis sp. — Western cypress
- Hesperocyparis stephensonii — Cuyamaca cypress
- Hesperocyparis abramsiana — Santa cruz cypress
- Hesperocyparis abramsiana var. abramsiana — Santa Cruz Cypress
- Hesperocyparis abramsiana var. butanoensis — Santa Cruz Cypress
- Juniperus californica — California juniper
Sources: CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-10-08
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.