Sargent cypress

One notable population occurs in the Cedar Mountain Ridge area of Eastern Alameda County. According to Carl Wolf, who extensively studied the New World Cypress in the 1930s and 1940s, seed from the Cedar Mountain stand of Cupressus sargentii produced the most vigorous seedlings. Many other rare plants are known from the large expanse of serpentine soils found in the Cedar Mountain area.

Sargent Cypress was named for Charles Sprague Sargent (1841-1927), the founder and director of Harvard University's Arnold Arboretum and author of the 14-volume Silva of North America. Several stands grow within Mount Tamalpais State Park north of San Francisco. More

Sargent Cypress only occurs in a few remote locations in Big Sur and grows only in California. They almost always grow in or near serpentine soils. Their shape varies widely from irregular to round to broad and spreading, while their size ranges from a bush to 35 feet tall. In other parts of California they can reach over 60 tall. Sargent Cypress Tree Sargent Cypress are found growing in serpentine soils in chaparral and montane forests. More