# Lawson Cypress (*Chamaecyparis lawsoniana*)

The Lawson Cypress is a lovely tree with feathery foliage. It often grows in gardens and parks, making them look beautiful.

- **Category:** [Trees](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/tree)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** Gardens and parks
- **Also known as:** Lawson's Cypress, Port-Orford-cedar

![Lawson Cypress](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426069/objects/4848.jpg)

## Appearance

The Lawson Cypress has dense, flattened sprays of scale-like foliage that are often a vibrant blue-green or grey-green. Its narrow, conical shape tapers upwards, making it visually distinct from trees with needle-like leaves or broader crowns.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Pinopsida
- **Order:** Pinales
- **Family:** Cupressaceae
- **Genus:** Chamaecyparis

## Interesting facts

- Its crushed foliage smells uniquely like parsley or lemon-pine!
- It’s named after Charles Lawson, who introduced it to European gardens.
- Over 200 different varieties have been bred for gardens worldwide.
- The lightweight wood is prized for building boats and musical instruments.

## Special abilities

- **Aromatic Shield:** Lawson Cypress releases aromatic compounds that can deter some pests, helping it stay healthy and strong.
- **Windbreak Weaver:** Its dense, layered foliage creates an excellent natural windbreak, protecting other plants and wildlife from harsh gusts.
- **Shade Spreader:** The tall, conical canopy casts significant shade, keeping the ground cool and moist, aiding undergrowth survival.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-60 m
- **Spread:** 6-12 m
- **Edible:** No
- **Size:** 100-200 cm
- **Lifespan:** 400-600 years
- **Fruit Type:** Small, rounded woody cones
- **Growth Rate:** Medium
- **Leaf Type:** Evergreen

## Ecological connections

- **Symbiotic with:** Wine-stain Earthball (*Rhizopogon vinicolor*) — Forms beneficial mycorrhizal associations with its roots.
- **Eaten by:** Grey Squirrel (*Sciurus carolinensis*) — Squirrels eat the seeds found within its small cones.
- **Eaten by:** [Hawfinch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/hawfinch) (*Coccothraustes coccothraustes*) — These birds crack open the hard seeds from its cones.
- **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Deer can browse on young foliage, especially in winter.
- **Shelter:** [Pacific Madrone](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pacific-madrone) (*Arbutus menziesii*) — Often grows alongside in its native habitats.

## Traits

- [Coniferous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coniferous): Coniferous plants are typically evergreen, bearing needles or scales and reproductive cones.
- [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

## Collections

- [Trees](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/trees)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Do not pick or eat anything you find. Some plants and mushrooms can be harmful.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Lawson Cypress?

Compare leaves or needles, how they attach to the twig, buds, bark and the shape of the crown. Lobed leaves are useful clues, but several unrelated trees share a similar outline. Tree Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Lawson Cypress?

30-60 m

### How wide does Lawson Cypress spread?

6-12 m

### Is Lawson Cypress edible?

No

### How big is Lawson Cypress?

100-200 cm

### How long does Lawson Cypress live?

400-600 years

### Where is Lawson Cypress usually found?

Gardens and parks

### What kind of fruit does Lawson Cypress produce?

Small, rounded woody cones

## Where to spot

- [Belfast Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/belfast-zoo) — Northern Ireland, GB · Zoo
- [Monte Aloia Natural Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/monte-aloia-natural-park) — Galicia, ES · Park

## More Trees

- [English Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/english-oak) (*Quercus robur*)
- [Sessile Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sessile-oak) (*Quercus petraea*)
- [Northern Red Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-red-oak) (*Quercus rubra*)
- [White Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-oak) (*Quercus alba*)

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Source: [Lawson Cypress: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lawson-cypress)