Territory - Park of the Queen

Cypress - Cupressus sempervirens :

The cypress is a species native to the eastern Mediterranean and southern Turkey, introduced elsewhere since ancient times (probably in Italy by the Phoenicians).
It's a typical Mediterranean species, which prefers areas characterized by mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers.
It became an element characterizing the landscape in some inland areas (Marche, Tuscany, Umbria).
Up to 30 meters high, has a compact foliage, columnar or (variety horizontalis) wide pyramidal with erect-patent branches.
Trunk straight and slender, with bark ash-gray or gray-brown, finely weakened by the long and fissured in older specimens.
Scaly leaves, ovate-triangular, apex obtuse, dark green, long a millimeter or so, opposed and closely appressed in four rows around the twigs; show a dorsal gland that releases an aroma of incense after wiping.
The male catkins are yellow and terminals, ovate-oblong (up to 8 mm), the female ones, smaller, lateral, oblong-elliptic, green-purple.
The fruit is a woody galbulo (4x2, 5 cm), shining, first green then yellow-gray, with 8-14 shield scales and contains numerous closely winged seeds.
Appreciated since the ancient times for its balsamic properties, from its branches is extracted oleum cupressi that is used for the treatment of colds.
The wood, hard and very resistant, is used for the construction of furniture and cabinet making.