Common Name: Himalayan Cypress

General Information

Cupressus torulosa is an evergreen tree with a large, oval to broadly conical crown; it usually grows 15 - 25 metres tall, although specimens up to 45 metres have been recorded. The bole can be up to 150cm in diameter[, ].
Providing a widely used, good quality timber, the tree is commonly harvested from the wild and is also often cultivated in plantations from the warm temperate zone to the tropics[]. It also provides an essential oil and has local medicinal applications. The tree is often grown as an ornamental[].
Cupressus torulosa is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

E. Asia - Himalayas of Pakistan, northwest India, Nepal and Tibet

Habitat

Drier inner valleys of the Himalayas, especially on limestone, often in pure stands; at elevations from 1,560 - 3,670 metres[, , , ].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	30.00 m
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Cupressus torulosa is a plant of moderate to high elevations in the warm temperate zone, though it has also been cultivated in the subtropics and at higher elevations in the tropics, where it is grown at elevations up to 3,000 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 20 - 32°c, but can tolerate 5 - 45°c[]. When dormant, the plant can survive temperatures down to about -9°c, but young growth can be severely damaged at -1°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 800 - 1,600mm, but tolerates 650 - 2,400mm[].
Requires a sunny position[]. Thrives in a well-drained loamy or peaty soil[] and can succeeds in calcareous conditions[]. Prefers cooler wetter summers than other members of this genus[]. Tolerates poor sandy soils[] but is then more subject to insect damage in a succession of dry seasons[]. Subject to injury by the wind. Prefers a pH of 6 or lower[].
The tree is rather slow growing[].
Cones can remain closed on the tree for a number of years, opening after the heat of a forest fire to scatter their seeds which then germinate and grow away quickly in the ashes of the fire[].
The crushed foliage smells of lawn mowings[].
Trees are notably susceptible to honey fungus[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The leaves are used in the treatment of skin disease and to heal wounds. The leaf extract is mixed with water, and the water is used in a herbal bath to cure skin diseases[].

The essential oil obtained from the plant is antiseptic. It is used to cure inflammatory wounds[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree is sometimes planted as a windbreak[]. This contradicts a report that the tree is subject to injury by the wind[].

Other Uses

The wood is aromatic, especially the root-wood, and an essential oil extracted from these parts is used in cosmetics[].
The plant is burnt as an incense[, ]. The leaves are used[].

The aromatic heartwood is pale brown; the sapwood pale yellow. The wood is fine-textured, straight-grained, moderately hard, very durable, being resistant to attacks by termites and insects. It is used for general construction, cabinet work, furniture, fine art articles, construction, fence posts, poles and railway carriage making[, , , , , ].
The wood is used for fuel[].

Propagation

Seed - sow late winter in a cold frame and only just cover the seed[]. Three weeks cold stratification can improve germination rates[]. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 2 months at 20°c. The seedlings are very subject to damping off so should be watered with care and kept well-ventilated[]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. The seed can store for several years[].
Cuttings of almost ripe wood, September in a frost-proof frame[]. mid spring is the best time to take cuttings[].