Cypress
Cupresses sempervirens
Cupressaceae, Cypress Family
The glory of Lebanon will be yours— the forests of cypress, fir, and pine— to beautify my sanctuary. My Temple will be glorious!
Isaiah 60:13 NLT
Find Cypress in God's Word for Gardeners Bible featured in the Cedar of Lebanon landscape "Lay of the Land," page 357, and Palace Gardens landscape "Lay of the Land," page 565, both from the Garden Tour section
![©botanicalillustrations.org Cypressus sempervirens L. Duhamel du Monceau, H.L., Traité des arbres et arbustes, Nouvelle édition [Nouveau Duhamel], vol. 3: t. 1 (1806) [P.J. Redouté]](https://gardenndelight.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/plantillustrated.org-Mediterranean-cypress-Redoute.jpg "©botanicalillustrations.org Cypressus sempervirens L. Duhamel du Monceau, H.L., Traité des arbres et arbustes, Nouvelle édition [Nouveau Duhamel], vol. 3: t. 1 (1806) [P.J. Redouté]")
I will fill the desert with pools of water. Rivers fed by springs will flow across the parched ground. I will plant trees in the barren desert—cedar, acacia, myrtle, olive, cypress, fir, and pine. I am doing this so all who see this miracle will understand what it means—that it is the Lord who has done this, the Holy One of Israel who created it.
Isaiah 41:18-20 NLT
Cultural Information
| Type | Ornamental Tree |
| Height | 40 to 80 feet |
| Soil | evenly moist, loamy, well-drained; rocky soil works well, too |
| Exposure | full sun |
| Leaves | dark evergreen, narrow, flat, resembling needles but actually layered, jointed scales; highly fragrant |
| Fruit | larger scales bond to form a rounded, ball-like structure, 1 to 2 inch diameter; "cone" eventually disintegrates to loose its seeds |
Planting Tips
- cypress are tender evergreens hardy to zone 8
- plant with gentle protection from blasting northwinds
- excellent tree for poolside areas - branches and cones create almost no leaf litter
- cypress trees orginal to the Holy Land were C. sempervirens var. horizontalis, with a spreading habit more similar to juniper
- cypress cultivated in ancient times were selected for upright, columnar form bred today as Italian Cypress, and were also planted and naturalized across the Mediterranean and Middle East, including Israel
- in northern climates, plant cypress in pots and shelter indoors for winter months
Garden to Table
- add cypress branches to floral arrangements for deep, evergreen contrast and fragrance
- clip cypress branches for table greenery; lay branches garland-style for a centerpiece runner
- plant cypress seedlings in matching pots and align down the center of the table for a mini-landscape effect
- play on the theme of bringing many evergreens together by arranging 'lemon,' 'blue ice' or 'Arizona Carolina sapphire' cypress in a garden-fresh table display
- cypress wood is hard, durable, and water resistant; look for it in furniture construction, perfect for tables in the garden
- the doors of St. Peter's in Rome are made of cypress
More Research
See Blog Posts on CypressCypress, being a warmer climate evergreen, was not likely growing alongside Lebanese conifers, instead displaying the power of God’s uniting spirit, bringing the diverse evergreens together (Isaiah 41:19; 60:13).
-from the NIV God's Word for Gardeners Bible
I will fill the desert with pools of water. Rivers fed by springs will flow across the parched ground. I will plant trees in the barren desert—cedar, acacia, myrtle, olive, cypress, fir, and pine. I am doing this so all who see this miracle will understand what it means—that it is the Lord who has done this, the Holy One of Israel who created it.
Isaiah 41:18-20 NLT
Photo Credits
© Kushnirov Avraham | Dreamstime Christian chapel in the garden of cypress trees. Mount of Olives in East Jerusalem, Israel
© Nacho Mena | Dreamstime Cypress tree leaves texture and background
©botanicalillustrations.org Cypressus sempervirens L. Duhamel du Monceau, H.L., Traité des arbres et arbustes, Nouvelle édition [Nouveau Duhamel], vol. 3: t. 1 (1806) [P.J. Redouté]
Willow