B03: Lawson’s Cypress: Chamaecyparis lawsoniana

Introduced from NW California and SW Oregon in 1854 this is abundantly planted in all its various cultivars. It can grow easily to 40 m. Typically it forms an upright narrow conical crown with dense often forking branches and is characterised by a drooping leading shoot. The shoot branches are commonly arranged in planes and the leaves are small and scale-like. When crushed the shoot has a resinous smell reminiscent of parsley. The flowers are abundant: the male flowers are terminal on ultimate branchlets and scatter clouds of pollen April. The female flowers are terminal on proximal branches and open as 7mm diameter woody cones.

Several varieties grow in the park : var Fletcherii is multi stemmed and somewhat spreading at the base making it suitable for sitting, scrambling and climbing: a favourite with children and dogs.