Cupressus macrocarpa

The " Lone Cypress " in Monterey, California (Cupressus macrocarpa)

The Monterey cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa, syn Cupressus lambertiana Carr., Cupressus hartwegii Carr. ), Also known as Large-fruited cypress is an evergreen tree of the genus the cypresses (Cupressus ). It represents the largest of the California species of cypress

• 5.1 varieties
• 5.2 Hybrid

Description

Habit

The Monterey cypress is a medium sized, evergreen tree, which as a result of the strong winds at the natural site has a very variable shape. The dense crown is shallow and wide- spreading. It reaches heights of growth of about 20 to 25 meters and diameter at breast height of up to 60 centimeters, rarely 1 m or more. Under ideal growth conditions in culture of the tree reaches heights of growth of up to 34 meters and diameter at breast height of up to 3 meters. Grow young trees are removed from the coast geradschaftig and form a more or less conical shaped crown. You are beastet symmetrical. The branches are sharp or right angles from the trunk, and can stand upright arching. Exposed to the wind and exposed to the spray of places the Monterey cypress grows irregularly and takes on crooked and gnarled shapes.

Foliage

The scale-like leaves are broad and triangular in young trees 2-10 mm long and 3-4 mm. In old trees they are imbricated and are just 1 millimeter long. They are dark green and have an obtuse or acute apex. They are found arranged in pairs at 8 to 15 millimeters long young branches. Boy crushed leaves smell like lemon. Up to the age of one year, the seedlings have needle-like, 4-8 mm long leaves.

Bark

Strong stems and branches with a diameter of 20 centimeters have an ash gray, thick and fibrous bark that is furrowed surface. Branches below 20 inches have a strong brown colored bark. The light brown inner bark has a high resin content.

Flowers, cones and seeds

The Monterey cypress is monoecious getrenntgeschlechtig ( monoecious ). The flowering period extends from February to March. The initially light green, later brown male cones are 3-6 mm long and can reach a diameter of 2 to 3 millimeters. You are terminally on short branches and are produced in large numbers. Each cones contains 6 to 10 pollen sacs. The female cones are in groups, rarely singly at the ends of short branches. They consist of 8 to 12 seed scales and reach the end of the first growing season a diameter of 10 to 15 millimeters. Each stub scale forms in the middle of a curved, about 2 millimeters long spine. The cones take in the 2nd year of a spherical to oval in shape. They are between 25 and 40 millimeters long and consist of 6 to 14 - pin scales. They are first green stain to maturity through but brown. Each pin contains between 140 to 150 seeds. The dark brown seeds are irregularly shaped and 5-6 mm wide and 2-3 mm thick. They have a distinctive wing-like border. The thousand kernel weight is approximately 7.5 grams.

Wood

The bright yellowish-brown heartwood color stands out only slightly from sapwood. The heartwood is in slow-growing trees difficult and fine structure. In fast growing trees, it is coarse-grained. The timber is a good timber but has a low durability in contact with the ground. The bulk density is 0.40 g / cm ³. It has a low resin content.

Distribution and location

The Monterey cypress is endemic in the central coast region of California. Natural deposits are found only in two small populations in Monterey and Carmel -by-the -Sea. Due to this small area of ​​distribution the species is in the IUCN Red List as "vulnerable" out. The two groves are protected by the Point Lobos State Reserve and Del Monte Forest. The larger of the two populations is located in the Point Lobos State Reserve and has a length of about 3 km and a width of approximately 200 meters and was formerly made about 10,000 cypress but they were like the majority of people. It is planted almost artificial world. Successful cultivation areas are located in southern and eastern Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii, Chile and Argentina.

The natural location is characterized by a maritime, mild and cloudy climate with almost ever-present coastal fog. Much of the natural resources are located so close to the coast, they are under constant exposure to the spray. It settles as dry fresh nutrient-rich granite and Kalkverwitterungsböden. It does not tolerate waterlogging. The rainfall should not be less than 350 mm per year. The style is up to a temperature of -12 ° C, in exceptional cases up to -15 ° C, hardy. Are formed mixed stands with Monterey pine (Pinus radiata) and Cupressus goveniana.

Use

The wood of the Monterey cypress is a good timber, but has little durability in ground contact. It has been cultivated as an ornamental tree, both along the California coast, as well as in other areas with similar cool summers and mild winters ( for example the United Kingdom, the western Oregon and New Zealand, where it has become common ). In Europe, it was first cultivated in 1838. On the Atlantic coast, and occasionally on the Mediterranean coast of Europe it is grown as a windbreak and is difficult to replace in this function to the seashores by other tree species. In New Zealand, there she is, macrocarpa, it is often cultivated as a shade tree in farms, often in rows or "shadow belts ". Because of the high extraction force after a re -section macrocarpa hedges are suitable for biomass production.

Diseases and Pests

When planting in areas with hot summers, the plant has to be highly sensitive to " cypress cancer " - a cardinal disease caused by the fungus Seridium - proven and rarely survives more than a few years. The cypress cancer occurred in 1928 in California and has destroyed large parts of domestic stocks. There were only trees in the immediate coastal areas spared. However, this disease is not a problem in places with cool summers. Other fungal parasites are the regional cause losses in the growing areas the species Phomopsis juniperovora and Pestalotia funera and the genus Corticium. An insect pests of the curlers Epinotia subviridis, the engine moth Argyresthia cupressella that Baumlaus Cinara cupressi as well as the bark beetle Phloeosinus aubei be called.

System

Varieties

Despite the small distribution area can we distinguish a number of varieties in the type:

• C. macrocarpa var angulata Lemm. has elongated pins consisting of 10 to 16 scales.
• C. macrocarpa var crippsii Gord. has silvery- white leaves.
• C. macrocarpa var fastigiata Carr. has ascending branches
• C. macrocarpa var lutea Kent. has a tree crown with yellow foliage.
• C. macrocarpa var pigmaea Jacks. is a dwarf and grows as a compact shrub.
• C. macrocarpa var variegata Lemaire typical form that has a colorful foliage.

Hybrid

The Monterey cypress is one of the parents of the fast-growing hybrid Leyland cypress (Cupressus × leylandii ), which is from a natural junction with the Nootka cypress ( Callitropsis nootkatensis ) emerged. It is different from the Monterey cypress less susceptible to the pathogen of cypress cancer.

Swell

• Christopher J. Earle: Cupressus macrocarpa. In: The Gymnosperm Database. May 22, 2011, accessed on 27 October 2011 ( English).
• Claudine Andreoli: Cupressus macrocarpa. In: Peter Schütt, Horst Weisgerber, Hans J. Schuck, Ulla Lang, Bernd vocal, Andreas Roloff: Encyclopedia of conifers. Dissemination - description - Ecology - use; the great encyclopedia. Nikol, Hamburg 2004, ISBN 3-933203-80-5, pp. 167-174.