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'''Chamaecyparis thyoides''', the 'Atlantic White Cypress' (or 'Atlantic white-cedar'^[1]), is an evergreen coniferous tree in the genus ''Chamaecyparis'', of the cypress family Cupressaceae. It is also known as "Atlantic White Cedar" (confusing because it is a cypress, not a cedar). It is native to the Atlantic coast of North America from Maine south to Georgia, with a disjunct population on the Mexican Gulf coast from Florida to Mississippi.
The tree grows to 15-25 m (50-80 ft) tall, with feathery foliage in moderately flattened sprays, green to glaucous blue-green in colour. The leaves are scale-like, 2-4 mm long, and produced on somewhat flattened shoots. The cones are globose, 4-9 mm diameter, with 6-10 scales.
There are two geographically isolated subspecies, treated by some botanists as distinct species, by others at just varietal rank:

★ ''Chamaecyparis thyoides'' subsp. ''thyoides'' (Atlantic White Cypress). Atlantic coast. Leaves and cones usually glaucous blue-green; cones 4-7 mm long. (Least concern)

★ ''Chamaecyparis thyoides'' subsp. ''henryae'' (Gulf White Cypress). Mexican Gulf coast. Leaves and cones always green, not glaucous; cones 6-9 mm long. (Near threatened)

Contents

Cultivation and uses

Notes

References

Cultivation and uses

''Chamaecyparis thyoides'' is of some importance in horticulture, with several named cultivars of varying crown shape, growth rates and foliage colour having been selected for garden planting. Older gypsy moth caterpillars sometimes eat the foilage, whereas young ones will avoid it.

Notes

1. [[1]] - GRIN database, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, accessed June 29, 2007

References

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