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  4. Hesperocyparis macrocarpa

Hesperocyparis macrocarpa

Cupressus macrocarpa.<br>Photographer: Peter J. de Lange, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Cupressus macrocarpa.<br>Photographer: Peter J. de Lange, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Cupressus macrocarpa.<br>Photographer: John Smith-Dodsworth, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Cupressus macrocarpa.<br>Photographer: John Smith-Dodsworth, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Cupressus macrocarpa.<br>Photographer: Peter J. de Lange, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Cupressus macrocarpa.<br>Photographer: Peter J. de Lange, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Cupressus macrocarpa.<br>Photographer: Peter J. de Lange, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Cupressus macrocarpa.<br>Photographer: Peter J. de Lange, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
a picture of Cupressus macrocarpa.<br>Photographer: Peter J. de Lange, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>.
Bruce Park, 5km south of Hunterville.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 22/07/2006, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
South Karori, Wellington.<br>Photographer: Jeremy R. Rolfe, Date taken: 11/08/2012, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0'>CC BY</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Awhitu Regional Park - NZ’s largest macrocarpa tree.<br>Photographer: John Sawyer, Licence: <a target='_blank' href='https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0'>CC BY-NC</a>. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
Self-established sapling.<br>Photographer: Kate McAlpine, Date taken: 24/08/2021, Licence: All rights reserved. <a class='member-message' href='/nzpcn/why-join-nzpcn/' target='_blank'>Members can view a larger version of this image.</a>
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Common name

macrocarpa

Synonyms

Cupressus macrocarpa (Hartw.) Bartel

Family

Cupressaceae

Authority

Hesperocyparis macrocarpa Hartw.

Flora category

Vascular – Exotic

Structural class

Trees & Shrubs - Gymnosperms

NVS code

The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.

HESMAC

Habitat

Terrestrial. regenerating bush and scrub near planted trees and hedgerows.

Features

Medium sized tree to about 36 metres. Has distinctive fluted trunk when mature, bark is thick, reddish brown beneath often becoming whitish on the surface. Adult foliage comprises many small dark green scales closely appressed to the branchlets, but not flattened. Juvenile foliage more needle like, and not appressed. Male cones up to about 3 mm long, yellow and knobbly arising on the tips of the branches. Female cone are also terminal, rosette-like at first, becoming a rounded brown cone with 8-14 scales when mature. Usually 10-20 small seeds per cone scale.

Similar taxa

The scales closely appressed on mature plants, but stems not becoming flattened. There are several Hesperocyparis and Cupressus species in cultivation in New Zealand but H. macrocarpa is by far the most common, and can be identified by the blunt leaves lacking resin glands, and the shining brown mature cones.

Flower colours

No flowers

Propagation technique

seed

Year naturalised

1904

Origin

Monterey Peninsula, California, N. America

Etymology

macrocarpa: Large fruit

Reason For Introduction
Forestry

Life Cycle Comments
Occasional and scattered cultivation escape in the vicinity of planted trees (Webb et al 1988).

Reproduction
Seed.

Seed
At least 150 seeds per mature female cone, estimated at least 10 000 cones per mature tree.

Dispersal
People, wind, gravity.

Tolerances
seedlings are moderately shade-tolerant but do best on sunny banks.

NZPCN Fact Sheet citation

Please cite as: Ogle, C. (Year at time of access): Hesperocyparis macrocarpa Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/hesperocyparis-macrocarpa/ (Date website was queried)

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