Slender column-shaped evergreen conifer of the Mediterranean basin, reaching 30 m, with dark green narrow upright form. The defining tree of Tuscan and Provençal landscape and a classic exclamation-point windbreak.
Hardiness ratings
| System | Rating | Temperature range | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 7–10 | −17.8 °C to 4.4 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| RHS hardiness rating | H5 | −15 °C to −10 °C | Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance |
| Canadian plant hardiness zone | Zone 8–9 | −7 °C and warmer | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| Australian (ANBG) zone | Zone 3–6 | −5 °C to 15 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
Growing notes
- Narrow upright form — provides effective wind shelter at minimum ground footprint, ideal where space is restricted
- Drought tolerant once established — needs full sun and well-drained soil, hates winter waterlogging
- Long lived in Mediterranean climates — single specimens of 700+ years recorded in Italy
- Wider-spreading forms exist (var. horizontalis) but the upright var. stricta is the form used for shelter and Tuscan landscape
Categories
Related plants
Cross-check Mediterranean cypress (Italian cypress) against your zones