Cupressus sempervirens

Cupressus sempervirens—commonly called the Mediterranean, Italian, Tuscan, or Persian cypress—is a conifer native to the eastern Mediterranean and Iran. It thrives across the Mediterranean basin and has become established in other regions with dry summers, thanks to its tolerance for both acidic and alkaline soils and its resistance to drought. This tree holds cultural significance in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern societies, where it has long been used in symbolism, ceremonies, and folk remedies, and it is widely planted as an ornamental around the world.

A medium-sized evergreen, it can reach 35 meters (115 feet) in height, with a conical crown, level branches, and loosely hanging branchlets. It is exceptionally long-lived, with some individuals reported to be over a thousand years old. Its lateral shoots often grow upward toward light, and the dense, dark green foliage consists of scale-like leaves 2–5 mm long on rounded shoots. The seed cones are ovoid or oblong, 25–40 mm long, with 10–14 scales that start green and turn brown 20–24 months after pollination. Male cones are 3–5 mm long and release highly allergenic pollen in late winter. The cones can remain sealed for years, a trait known as serotiny. The tree is highly susceptible to cypress canker, caused by the fungus Seiridium cardinale, which can lead to extensive dieback. The species name sempervirens means "evergreen" in Latin.

For millennia, C. sempervirens has been cultivated outside its native range, especially across the Mediterranean and in areas with hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters, such as California, southwestern South Africa, and southern Australia. It also grows in cooler, moister climates like the British Isles, New Zealand, and the Pacific Northwest, as well as in humid subtropical zones like the coastal southern United States. In some places, notably the U.S., it is called Italian or Tuscan cypress. In its native range, it has historically been planted in gardens and cemeteries and used as windbreaks along roads, and it can help prevent land damage from severe weather. Most cultivated trees are fastigiate cultivars, with erect branches forming a narrow crown often less than a tenth as wide as the tree is tall—a dark green "exclamation mark" shape iconic to Mediterranean landscapes.