Cypress family, Cupressaceae
Origin: the south-west of the U.S.A.
Habitat in the original area: mountain forests
Habitus: An evergreen tree with a massive trunk noticeably widened at the base. The bark is reddish-brown, cracked and very thick.
Leaf: The leaves are inconspicuous, scaly and grey-green. They grow in three rows; they are attached to the twig at the base and stand out at the tip.
Bloom, fruit: The seed cones are woody and hard. The first year they are upright, the second year they ripen and hang down. The flat seeds have two wings on the surface.
Interesting fact: This tree is called the mammoth tree. In its native areas, it grows to the height of up to 100 metres, the width of the trunk is up to 12 metres and its bark´s thickness is 0.5 metres. It can live up to 2,000 years. A tree more than 3,500 years old is known from California.
