Leaf
David J. Stang · CC BY-SA 4.0
Arizona cypress
Cupressus arizonica Greene
Also known as: Smooth Arizona cypress
Family: Cupressaceae
10 to 20 m tall
Planted as a screening hedge or as a specimen, valued for its bluish foliage and drought resistance
Flowering: March – April (flowering barely visible)
Full sun
Hardy to about -20°C, very drought-tolerant
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Its metallic grey-blue foliage makes it one of the most widely used hedging conifers for bringing cool colour to a dry garden. The Monterey cypress has light green to golden foliage and a broader, conical outline, whereas the Arizona cypress has very marked silvery-blue foliage and a narrow, regular habit.
🍃 Leaves
Evergreen, fine scales covering the shoots, grey-blue, giving off a resinous smell when crushed
🌸 Flowers
Small yellowish male cones at the tips of the shoots
🍎 Fruits
Small round cones with thick scales, grey-brown
🪵 Bark
Red-brown, peeling in long fibrous strips on older specimens
🗺️ Distribution
Native to the south-western United States and northern Mexico
✂️ Horticultural uses
Planted for its persistent bluish foliage, as a hedge or specimen, more drought-resistant than the Italian cypress
🌱 Known cultivars
'Blue Ice'
The cultivar 'Blue Ice' displays very pronounced silvery-blue foliage, clearly more intense than the grey-green of the typical species.
⚠️ Look-alike species
Arizona cypress
Cupressus arizonica
Monterey cypress
Cupressus macrocarpa
The Monterey cypress has light green to golden foliage and a broader, conical outline, whereas the Arizona cypress has very marked silvery-blue foliage and a narrow, regular habit.
🌿 Other Cupressaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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