General: Arizona Cypress (Hesperocyparis arizonica) is a coniferous (cone-bearing) tree with tiny, scale-like leaves (like a juniper) and a knobby-round cone about the size of a ping-pong ball.

In Nevada, Arizona Cypress is a rare component of the montane vegetation on the north side of Virgin Peak (south of Mesquite, Nevada) in the Upper Sonoran (Pinyon-Juniper Woodland) life zone. Two small populations are known from this location, although more probably exist in the area. This species is common in Arizona.

Family: Cypress (Cupressaceae). Formerly Cupressus arizonica.

Plant Form: Upright conifer tree.

Height: 30 to 50 feet.

Trunk: Straight and tall.

Bark: Bark smooth, thin, peeling in thin strips or plates, cherry-red.

Branches: Youngest shoots 4-sided.

Needles: Scale-like (similar to juniper needles); dull green.

Cones: Round, reddish brown, woody; cone-scales with flat surface and a point in the center, to 1 inch diameter.

Seeds: Seed small (less than 1/3 inch), brown.

Habitat: Brushy mountains in the Pinyon-Juniper Woodland habitat type.

Elevation: 3,000 to 4,000 feet.

Distribution: California to Arizona, south into central Mexico.

Comments: As far as is known, there is only one native specimen in Nevada (Virgin Mountains), although they are common in Arizona and are planted as windbreaks.