Cupressaceae

Includes previous Taxodiaceae

Note that only Juniper is native - Some of the more widely-grown spp. shown

Choose either on: leaf shape or cone shape

Lvs scale-like on twig

Lvs flat or needle-like

Lvs flat, broad

Large solid needles

or choose by

cone form:

Leaves scale-like:

Flattened, spreading in 1 plane

Spreading in 3 dimensions

Terminal branches flat spreading in 1 plane

White Xs on underside

Flat twigs, white 'butterfly' marks

Flat twigs, double 'butterfly' marks

Shoots in flat hanging sprays

Cup. lawsoniana

Cup. torulosa

Shoots 'droopy'

Flat lvs in vertical planes

Flat lvs, long white stripes

Cup. nootkatensis

Terminal branchlets NOT spreading in 1 plane

Scale lvs with sm. point

Branchlets not flat

Some juvenile needles

Alternate lvs

Cup. x leylandii

Cup. macrocarpa

Juniperus

see also: Tamarisk

Short scale lvs

Long scale lvs

Pointed scale lvs

Curled up shoot tips

Cup. pisifera (filifera)

Cup. pisifera

Cup. sempervirens

Sequoiadendron

Athrotaxis laxifolia

Leaves flat, long and narrow, or needle-like:

Flat lvs, deciduous

Flat lvs in 1 plane

Needles tapered at base & tip

Flat lvs in one plane

Swamp cypress Taxodium

Redwood, Metasequoia

Coast redwood, Sequoia

see also Yew

Juvenile lvs flat needles

shrub with needles

see also

Leaves flat, broad:

Lvs Fan-shaped

Lvs floppy, tapering

Lvs rigid, broad

Comparison of cones

C. pisifera

C. lawsoniana

C. x leylandii

C. macrocarpa

C. nootkatensis

C. torulosa

Thuja

Platycladus

Cryptomeria

Fitzroya

Sequoia

Juniperus

Sequoiadendron

Calocedrus

Athrotaxis

Athrotaxis

Metasequoia

Taxodium

Sciadopitys

Athrotaxis . . . . . Pencil Pine

Athrotaxis cupressoides . . . . Tasmanian cedar

A Tasmanian sp. regularly planted in gardens

More commonly planted than the above

Athrotaxis laxifolia . . . . Pencil Pine

Austrocedrus . . . . . Chilean Cedar

Austrocedrus chilensis . . . . Chilean Cedar

Shoots significantly thicker than other 'cupressus' spp., lateral scale lvs >central lvs, with long white stripes

Calocedrus . . . . . Incense Cedar

Calocedrus decurrens . . . . Incense Cedar

Similar to Cupressus and also widely planted, distinguished by cones

Cryptomeria . . . . . Japanese Cedar

Cryptomeria japonica . . . . Japanese Cedar

Long, curved lvs only appressed at base, rather frost sensitive

Cunninghamia . . . . . Chinese Fir

Cunninghamia lanceolata . . . . Chinese Fir

Broad flat pointed floppy lves; planted in parks

Cupressus . . . . . Cupressus

Link to Key to Cupressus
Includes previous genera including Chamaecyparis, Cuprocyparis, Cupressocyparis.

Cupressus lawsoniana (was Chamaecyparis lawsoniana). . . . Lawson Cypress

Widely planted; terminal branchlets in 1 plane (c.f. C. x leylandii), underside with white Xs; globose fruit <10 mm

Cupressus macrocarpa . . . . Monterey Cypress

Widely planted esp. nr. coast, self-seeds in CI, Scilly, S. Ire; fruits >2 cm

Cupressus nootkatensis . . . . Nootka Cypress

Characteristically drooping habit

Cupressus pisifera (was Chamaecyparis pisifera). . . . Sawara Cypress

Planted in parks, rarely self-seeded; fruits <6 mm, lvs with longer tips than other common Cupressus

One of many cultivars

Cupressus sempervirens . . . . Mediterranean Cypress

Planted in parks

Cupressus torulosa . . . . Bhutan Cypress

Planted in parks; fruits c.10-15 mm, long, hanging branchlets

Cupressus x leylandii (= Cuprocyparis leylandii ; was Cupressocyparis x leylandii). . . . Leyland cypress

Widespread hedge plant; terminal branchlets not in 1 plane; spherical female cones (rare - 15-20 mm)

Fitzroya . . . . . Alerce Cypress

An unusal Chilean cypress; lvs in 3s with 2 white stripes

Fitzroya cupressoides . . . . Alerce Cypress

Juniperus . . . . . Juniper

Juniperus communis . . . . Juniper

Scattered esp. in mountain areas in NW, Lakes, N Wa and W Ire; 3 subspp. recognised

Juniperus virginiana . . . . Pencil Cypress

Juvenile leaves (needles) uncommon, mostly scale-like; planted in churchyards etc.

Metasequoia . . . . . Dawn Redwood

Metasequoia glyptostroboides . . . . Dawn Redwood

Deciduous tree; leaflets opposite (c.f. Taxodium)

Platycladus . . . . . Oriental Thuja

Platycladus orientalis (= Thuja orientalis) . . . . Oriental Thuja or Chinese Thuja

Vertical branches, cones like Thuja with long hooks

Sciadopitys . . . . . Japanese Umbrella Pine

Sciadopitys verticillata . . . . Japanese Umbrella Pine

Thick single needles in clumps; planted in parks

Sequoia . . . . . Coast Redwood

Sequoia sempervirens . . . . Coast Redwood

Planted in parks

Sequoiadendron . . . . . Giant Redwood

Sequoiadendron giganteum . . . . Giant Redwood or Wellingtonia

Planted in parks; characteristically soft thick bark

Taxodium . . . . . Swamp Cypress

Taxodium distichum . . . . Swamp Cypress

Deciduous; grows in v. wet places with thick aerial roots; leaflets alternate (c.f. Metasequoia)

Thuja . . . . . Western Red-cedar

Distinguished from Cupressus spp. (e.g. x leylandii) by elongated cones (vs. spherical)

Thuja plicata . . . . Western Red-cedar

Upward-pointing cones with a small terminal hook; white "butterfly" markings on underside

The smaller, slower-growing, Eastern White-cedar (T. occidentalis) is similar but less commonly planted. See also Platycladus.

Thujopsis . . . . . Hiba

Distinguished from Cupressus spp. by lateral lvs not overlapping next leaf

Thujopsis dolobrata . . . . Hiba

Much stouter branchlets than similar spp., lf underside with v obvious "double butterfly" markings; c.f. Austrocedrus in pic 3