Chamaecyparis lawsoniana - Lawson Cypress

General Information Common Name  Lawson Cypress Scientific Name  Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Sun Tolerance  Full Sun Height  up to 60   m (197 ft) Spread  15 -20 m (50 - 66 ft) Growth Rate  Slow Bloom Time  Spring Color  Green, Flower Color  Green Type  Tree Native  Africa, Asia, Europe, USA.

Classification Kingdom  Plantae – Plants Subkingdom  Tracheobionta – Vascular plants Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants Division  Coniferophyta – Conifers Class  Pinopsida Subclass  Order  Pinales Family  Cupressaceae - Cypress Family Genus  Chamaecyparis Spach. –  Cedar Species  C. lawsoniana

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana - Lawson Cypress

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana commonly known as Lawson Cypress also known as Port Orford Cedar. It is native to Oregon and California of North America and Europe.

It is a large growing evergreen tree that grows up to 60 m (197 ft) in height or more, with trunks 1.2–2 m (4–7 ft) in diameter. It is best known as a fairly slow growing, narrow crowned tree, densely foliaged to the base, short branched with pendulous ends, one or more drooping leaders, a tendency to fork,, and with thin foliage, often sold to florists for decorative purposes and the making of wreaths.

The spray-like foliage, which resembles the flattish fronds of a fern, surrounds the shoots, so that no buds are visible and is made up of overlapping scale-like needles (more correctly, leaves) of two kinds – broad, but less so than Thuja plicata on the flat surface, longer and narrow on the edge of the shoots. The shiny upper surface is usually medium- or bluish-green, but may be of other shades of green or yellow. The lower surface has a bloom of white wax. When crushed the shoots give off a strong smell resembling parsley.

The flowers of both sexes are found of the same tree. They are usually numerous and appear in March. The small, crimson and conspicuous males are tiny and club-shaped, and scatter their pollen at the end of March or in early April. The small globe-shaped females are yellowish-green, with dark tips to the scales. They soon swell to small berry-like round cones (somewhat like a pea, but with flat-topped segments), about 1 cm in diameter, light green with a grey bloom, later ripening to blue-grey or reddish-brown and opening to shed their small brown seeds in early autumn.

At first the bark is thin, greyish-brown and smooth and shiny. Later it becomes reddish-brown, irregularly fissured and peels in thin strips or flakes; within is a bright pink bark. The sapwood is yellowish-white, the heartwood grey to dark brown. It is strong, light and naturally durable, and is valuable for joinery and fencing.

A popular hedge plant and ornamental, the tree is going out of favor with foresters because of its slow growth, low volume, a tendency to fork.

There are many ornamental varieties (actually ‘cultivars’) based on color or arrangement of foliage, artificially propagated, usually by taking cuttings or making grafts. For example, the variety or making grafts. For example, the variety glauca (a definite blue shade), ereca (a deep true green), and lutea (a bright golden yellow). There are also columnar, dwarf, fascinated and pendulous forms.

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana - Lawson Cypress

Leaves of Lawson Cypress

Lawson Cypress Leaves

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Leaves

Leaves of Chamaecyparis lawsoniana

Lawson Cypress Male Flowers

Flowers (male) of Lawson Cypress

Lawson Cypress Flowers (Female)

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana - Lawson Cypress Flowers (Female)

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana - Lawson Cypress Seeds

Lawson Cypress Barks

Barks of Lawson Cypress

Lawson Cypress as Ornamental Plants

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana as ornamental Plants

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana - Lawson Cypress

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana - Lawson Cypress

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana - Lawson Cypress

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana - Lawson Cypress

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana - Lawson Cypress

Cedrus libani – Cedar of Lebanon

General Information Common Name  Cedar of Lebanon Scientific Name  Cedrus Libani Sun Tolerance  Full Sun Height  up to 40   m (130 ft) Spread  15 -20 m (50 - 66 ft) Growth Rate  Fast Bloom Time  Spring Color  Green, Flower Color  Green Type  Tree Native  Africa, Asia, Europe.

Classification Kingdom  Plantae – Plants Subkingdom  Tracheobionta – Vascular plants Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants Division  Coniferophyta – Conifers Class  Pinopsida Subclass  Order  Pinales Family  Pinaceae – Pine family Genus  Cedrus Carr. –  Cedar Species  C. Libani

Cedrus libani – Cedar of Lebanon

Cedrus libani commonly known as Cedar of Lebanon. It is native to Lebanon, Israel, northwest Jordan, western Syria, and south central Turkey. It is a large growing evergreen tree grows up to 40 m (130 ft) in height, with a trunk up to 2.5 m (8 ft) in diameter.

The Lebanon Cedar differs principally from the Atlas Cedar in having, later in life, a drooping or bent leader and horizontal branches forming table-like masses of needles; furthermore, it usually has grass-green needles, and the cones are rather lager and more barrel-shaped. It differs principally from the Deodar by its shorter needles, and in not having pendulous tips to the branches; furthermore it is less tall, less graceful, and not so erect, being usually a more spreading tree.

The trees are conical when young, later developing massive trunks and large, often spreading branches. The branchlets are of two kinds; the long terminal growth shoots with needles scattered around them (‘juvenile’ foliage), and short spur growths with needles in rosettes. The mature needles are about and an inch in length, and grass-green.

Both sexes of flowers are usually found on different branches of the same tree. The male catkins are long and erect, dull greyish-green with a purplish bloom, liberating bright yellow pollen in autumn. The females are small, greenish, erect conelets. The resultant erect resinous barrel-shaped green cones do not reach full size until after two years, when they turn brown and ripen within a few months. They then gradually break up, releasing their winged seeds, the central spike of the cone alone remaining.

Like as the Atlas Cedar, at first the bark is smooth and grey, but with age becomes brown, furrowed and scaly. The wood has a narrow whitish sapwood and a mid-brown heartwood, and is fairly hard, fragrant, naturally durable, and will work to a fine finish. It is scarce, hence little used commercially.

To be handsome ornamental, the tree needs light and space. Only then ca its wide-spreading crown on a stout trunk, with level branches and intricate tracery of fine twigs, be fully appreciated. Old specimens particularly are among the most picturesque evergreens, lending an aspect of dignity and beauty to parks and gardens.

Cedrus libani – Cedar of Lebanon

Young plant of Cedar of Lebanon

Cedar of Lebanon Leaves

Cedrus libani Leaves

Leaves of Cedrus libani 

Cedar of Lebanon Male Catkins

Cedar of Lebanon Male Cone

Male catkins of Cedrus libani 

Cedrus libani – Cedar of Lebanon Female Cones

Cedar of Lebanon Female Cones

Female Cone of Cedrus libani

Cedrus libani Female Cone

Cedrus libani – Cedar of Lebanon Catkins (Female)

Cedrus libani – Cedar of Lebanon Logs

Cedrus libani – Cedar of Lebanon Trunks

Cedrus libani – Cedar of Lebanon as Ornamental Plant

Cedrus libani – Cedar of Lebanon

Cedrus libani – Cedar of Lebanon

Cedrus libani – Cedar of Lebanon

Cedrus libani – Cedar of Lebanon

Cedrus libani – Cedar of Lebanon

Cedrus libani – Cedar of Lebanon

Vedeo of Cedar of Lebanon: