Gowen Cypress

(Cupressus goveniana)

Color Photographs: © by and courtesy of Charles Webber, California Academy of Sciences

Gowen Cypress (Cupressus goveniana)

Identifying Characters: Gowen Cypress is difficult to characterize. However glandular pits on the scale-like leaves are absent. Cones are 0.75 inches in diameter or smaller, the foliage is bright green, and the species is typically found along the northern and central coast of California.

Similar Species: Gowen cypress may be confused with Sargent Cypress. The leaves of Sargent Cypress are typically longer than 1/16 inch in length and the color is dull green. In contrast the leaves of Gowen Cypress are less than 1/16 in length and the color is bright green.

Measurements: Gowen Cypress is a highly variable species in shape and size. The species varies from small, shrubby individuals on sandy soil to very large trees nearly 100 feet tall in Mendocino and Sonoma Counties. Typical mature trees are triangular in shape and range from 15 to30 feet tall.

Cones: Cones usually about 0.5 to 0.75 inches in diameter, round, gray to purple-gray; 6 to 10 hard cone scales with a strong, central spine.

Leaves: Leaves opposite in 4 rows, less than 1/16 inch in length; scale-like leaves bright green and without a a glandular dot.

Bark: Bark variable, brown to gray, smooth or rough and fibrous.

Native Range: Gowen Cypress occurs in northern and central California, almost always near the Pacific Coast. The species tends to occur in isolated and geographically distinct populations.

Habitat: Gowen cypress typically occurs in Redwood forests near the Pacific Ocean.

Note: A population of Gowen Cypress inhabiting the Santa Cruz Mountains of Santa Cruz and San Mateo Counties of California is considered by some botanists to be a separate species, Cupressus abramsiana.