Cupressus lusitanica Mill., Cupressaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  no

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  yes

Risk assessment results:  Low risk (based on second screen), score: 6 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Arizona cypress, Mexican cypress, Portuguese cypress, cedar of Goa

Spanish: cipres

Tongan: sialesi

Habit:  tree

Description:  "A tree attaining 25-30 m in height. Crown broadly pyramidal, in older trees broad with pendulous branches. Bark thick, reddish-brown, with longitudinal fissures. Shoots quadrangular, pendulous, not in a single plane. Foliage distinctly bluish-green, four-ranked, ovate, closely pressed, usually with long, pointed apex. Cones globose, ca 12 mm across, bluish-green in the juvenile stage, turning dark brown when they ripen, they open and later fall, composed of 6-8 scales with a central strong, reflexed umbo, erect on the upper scales. Seeds about 75 to a cone, brown, with resin glands, about 4 mm long together with a narrow wing" (Vidakovic, 1991)

"To 75 ft., with somewhat drooping branchlets; leaves acute, glaucous-green; female cones 1/2 in. across; glaucous" (Bailey & Bailey, 1976; p. 346).

Habitat/ecology:  "This tree is grown in many countries as a garden ornamental and in commercial forestry plantations throughout the tropical and temperate world, including Australia. Hnatiuk (1990) listed the plant as being naturalised in Queensland and Carr et al., (1992) recorded the plant as having established localised populations in riparian vegetation in Victoria." (Csurhes & Edwards, 1998; p. 104). In the tropics, planted at higher elevations.

Propagation:  Wind-blown seed (Csurhes & Edwards, 1998; p. 104).

Native range:  "Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica at altitudes from 1200 to 3000 m. It is doubtful whether this species is native to El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica" (Styles & Hughes, 1983; pp. 290-291).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Norfolk Islands	Norfolk Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 12) "A widely cultivated native of Mexico. Saplings develop spontaneously from seed around planted trees". Voucher cited: R.O. Gardner 5881 (AK)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Frohlich, Danielle/Lau, Alex (2012) (pp. 34-35) Voucher cited: U.S. Army 177 (BISH)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (pp. 64-65) Voucher cited: MacKee 12168
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1989) (voucher ID: PTBG 3030) Taxon name on voucher: Cupressus lusitanica

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive cultivated	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 104) Naturalized
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)	probably introduced	Styles, B. T./Hughes, C. E. (1983) (pp. 269-291)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	El Salvador (Republic of)	probably introduced	Styles, B. T./Hughes, C. E. (1983) (pp. 269-291)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	Styles, B. T./Hughes, C. E. (1983) (pp. 269-291)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Honduras (Republic of)	native	Styles, B. T./Hughes, C. E. (1983) (pp. 269-291)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Nicaragua (Republic of)	probably introduced	Styles, B. T./Hughes, C. E. (1983) (pp. 269-291)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	Styles, B. T./Hughes, C. E. (1983) (pp. 269-291)

Comments:  Reported to be a potentially invasive species in Australia per Csurhes and Edwards, 1998.

Control:  If you know of control methods for Cupressus lusitanica, please let us know.