Hesperocyparis sargentii

Sargent cypress

Family: Cupressaceae · Type: tree · Native

Sargent cypress is a California native tree found in the northern Coast Ranges, San Francisco Bay Area, and southern Coast Ranges in closed-cone pine and cypress forests, yellow-pine forests, and chaparral, particularly on serpentine landscapes at elevations of 60 to 1,370 meters. A distinctive conifer with thick, fibrous bark that ranges from gray to dark brown, this tree can reach heights of 6 to 20 meters with ultimate branches less than 1.2 millimeters in diameter. Its leaves are a muted, dusty to gray-green color, creating a soft, understated appearance across its cylindric to four-sided branching structure. The tree produces seed cones that are spheric, 15 to 25 millimeters long, with a rough surface in dull brown to gray tones and 6 to 10 distinct scales. Seeds are dark brown, approximately 3 to 5.3 millimeters long, with a notably conspicuous attachment scar.

Habitat: Closed-cone-pine/cypress, yellow-pine forests, chaparral, on serpentine

Elevation: 60-1370 m

Bioregions: NCoR, SnFrB, SCoR

California counties: Mendocino, Marin, Lake, Napa, Sonoma, Alameda, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Colusa

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