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Cypress facts for kids

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Lone Cypress Sunset
A cypress tree under the Sunset

A cypress is a type of tree. Many different trees are called "cypress," but they all belong to the same plant family, known as Cupressaceae. This family is often called the "cypress family." These trees are usually evergreens, meaning they keep their leaves all year round. They are known for their strong wood and often have a cone shape.

What Kinds of Cypress Trees Are There?

The name "cypress" is used for many different trees. Some of these trees are part of the Cupressus group, which is the main group of cypress trees. But other trees from the same family also use the name "cypress."

Here are some examples of trees commonly known as cypresses:

  • African cypress (Widdringtonia species): These trees grow in Southern Africa.
  • Bald, Pond, and Montezuma cypresses (Taxodium species): You can find these in North America. The Bald cypress is famous for growing in swamps and having "knees" that stick out of the water.
  • Chinese swamp cypress (Glyptostrobus pensilis): This tree is from Vietnam and is very rare.
  • False cypress (Chamaecyparis species): These are found in Asia and North America.
  • Mediterranean cypress (Cupressus sempervirens): This tree is well-known for living a very long time and is often planted in gardens, especially around the Mediterranean Sea.
  • Monterey cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa): This type of cypress grows naturally only in a small area of California, near the Monterey Peninsula.
  • Patagonian cypress (Fitzroya cupressoides): These giant trees grow in southern Chile and Argentina. They are some of the oldest living things on Earth.
  • Western red cedar (Thuja plicata): Even though it's called a "cedar," this tree is actually part of the cypress family and grows in North America.

The Cupressaceae family also includes many other types of trees that don't have "cypress" in their common names.

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