Bhutan cypress facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bhutan cypress |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Cupressus
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| Species: |
cashmeriana
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| Synonyms | |
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Cupressus assamica |
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The Bhutan cypress (scientific name: Cupressus cashmeriana) is a beautiful evergreen tree. This means it keeps its green leaves all year round. It is a type of conifer, which is a tree that produces cones.
This special tree originally comes from the eastern Himalaya mountains. You can find it naturally in Bhutan and parts of Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India. It has also been planted in China and Nepal. The Bhutan cypress likes to grow in mountains at heights between 1,250 and 2,800 meters (about 4,100 to 9,200 feet).
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What Does the Bhutan Cypress Look Like?
The Bhutan cypress is a medium to large tree. It usually grows between 20 and 45 meters (about 65 to 148 feet) tall. Its trunk can be up to 3 meters (about 10 feet) wide.
The leaves of this tree are very unique. They hang down in long, graceful sprays that look blue-green. The shoots are very thin and flat. The leaves themselves are tiny, like scales, only 1 to 2 millimeters long. On stronger new shoots, they can be up to 5 millimeters long. Young trees (under about 5 years old) have softer, needle-like leaves that are 3 to 8 millimeters long.
Its Cones and Seeds
The cones that hold the seeds are oval-shaped. They are about 10 to 21 millimeters long and 10 to 19 millimeters wide. They have 8 to 12 scales. When they first appear, they are dark green. They turn dark brown about two years after the tree is pollinated. When the cones are ready, they open up to release their seeds. The pollen cones, which release pollen in early spring, are smaller, about 3 to 5 millimeters long.
Why Is This Tree Important?
The Bhutan cypress is very important in its native areas.
Conservation Efforts
The natural groups of these trees are spread out and not very large. There are only a few places where they grow naturally, and these places don't have many big, old trees. The wood from cypress trees is popular locally, which can sometimes be a challenge for its survival.
Growing Bhutan Cypress
People often grow the Bhutan cypress in gardens and parks around the world. It is a popular ornamental plant because of its beautiful hanging branches and blue-green leaves. However, it needs a good amount of water and doesn't like strong winds very much.
Many of the trees you see outside of its natural home are special types called cultivars. These are chosen for their unique looks, like very droopy branches, a tall and narrow shape, or very bright blue or silvery leaves.
This tree has even won an award! The Royal Horticultural Society gave it their Award of Garden Merit in 2017. This award means it's a great plant for gardens. In places like the UK, it can only survive cold weather in milder or coastal areas. Some healthy Bhutan cypress trees have also been seen growing in Canberra, Australia.
A National Symbol
The Bhutan cypress is the official national tree of Bhutan. It is often connected to Buddhist religious places there. For hundreds of years, people have planted these trees around monasteries and Buddhist temples in Bhutan.
A Famous Tree Specimen
There is a very famous Bhutan cypress tree in front of a palace on Isola Madre. This is the largest of the Borromean Islands in Lake Maggiore, Italy. The seeds for this tree were sent from the Himalayan region in June 1862.
By 1915, this tree was known as the best in Northern Italy. It was about 60 feet tall and 6 feet around its trunk. Its branches covered an area of more than 35 paces! In 2006, a big storm hit the island and knocked the tree down. It took a lot of work from gardeners, engineers, and cable workers to save it. This tree is the largest of its kind in Europe. It weighed 70 tons and its trunk was 8 meters (about 26 feet) wide!
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The full specimen
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Steel rope used to stabilise the tree
See also
In Spanish: Ciprés de Bután para niños
