BOTANICAL NAMES

• • Cupressus macrocarpa.   common name Macrocarpa or Mac
  • Cupressus lusitanica.   common name Lusitanica

These are known as true cypress and are the trees from which most NZ cypress timber come from.

Macrocarpa is a native of coastal southern California where it is known as Monterey Cypress,while Lusitanica or Mexican Cypress, comes from Mexico and further south.

While Lusitanica is lighter in colour than Macrocarpa when first processed, in a short while it is hard to distinguish between the two.

Today "Macrocarpa" has become the trade name for these species and their crosses in NZ.

Lusitanica because of its higher resistance to bush canker and better sawmilling qualities is the main plantation grown cypress, particularly in the North Island.

• • Cupressocyparis leylandi.      common name Leyland Cypress

A cross between Cupressus macrocarpa and Chamaecyparis nootkatensis (Alaskan Cedar)  belonging to the Cupreaceae family. It first was recorded in England in 1888.

Leyland is a favourite cypress for shelterbelt.

MacDirect have stocks of Leyland. We are  impressed with its qualities. It is much lighter colour than Macrocarpa and should not be mixed where appearance matters.  It is very similiar in colour to Lawson.

• • Chamecyparis lawsoniana.         common name Lawson Cypress

A native of Oregan where it is known as Port Orford Cedar, also Oregan Cedar, or White Cedar.

Known for its strength in particular, Lawson is a valued timber resource in the States.  

New Zealand grown Lawson does have quite a large sap ring compared to Macrocarpa.

MacDirect does have stocks of Lawson although it is becoming harder to source good quality trees.  Taking longer to mature and with minimal plantation planting at moment of this species, this can only get worse.