Common Name: Saharan Cypress

General Information

Cupressus dupreziana is an evergreen tree with a conical or pyramidal crown; it can grow around 16 - 20 metres tall. The trunk can be 200 - 300cm in diameter[].
The tree is harvested (illegally) for its wood, which is used as timber and for fuel[]. It has potential for use as an ornamental[].
Cupressus dupreziana is one of the most extreme examples of a relict conifer seemingly on its way out to extinction. The causes of this are primarily natural climate change, but the remaining trees were also cut occasionally for firewood by wandering Tuareg people and there are tales about caravans that carted off wood. In all, 233 living individuals are now known to exist, with 20 trees dead since 1972 also found. The remaining trees are often senescent and natural regeneration appears to be sporadic. The most recent census of trees in the area showed a continuous range of tree sizes and found more seedlings, indicating slow but continuous natural regeneration. Tourism is providing an increasing incentive for protection and the Tassili n’Ajjer has been designated a World Heritage Site. However, adequate protection in situ is still wanting. The plant is classified as 'Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

N. Africa - southeast Algeria

Habitat

Widely scattered in canyons and dry stream beds in sandstone plateaux; at elevations from 1,700 - 1,900 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Endangered
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	18.00 m

Cultivation Details

Grows well in a hot, dry situation[]. Prefers a pH of 6 or lower[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

(Illegal) recent use for firewood has been recorded; in Morocco also for timber. This species is in cultivation but at present only as ex situ conservation attempts (mainly concentrated on var. dupreziana from the Sahara) and probably in a few collections. From observations made on some trees in the wild of both varieties, it should be possible to select shoots that grow into a fastigiate habit as with C. sempervirens; this could lead to cultivars of interest to horticulture. Young trees planted in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew have a columnar shape with short, more or less ascending branches[]..

Propagation

Seed -