Is the Nootka cypress a cedar, a cypress, or something entirely unique?

Gardening · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Botanists have spent nearly two centuries debating the identity of the Nootka cypress. Often called a cedar, it is actually a coniferous tree caught in a taxonomic tug-of-war between the Cupressus and Chamaecyparis genera. Recent genetic evidence suggests it may belong in its own distinct genus, Callitropsis.

The Nootka cypress, native to the coastal regions from Alaska to northern California, has a complex history of classification. First described as Cupressus nootkatensis in 1824, it was later moved to the genus Chamaecyparis in 1841 because of its flat, spray-like foliage. However, its cone morphology—which matures over two years—is far more characteristic of the Cupressus genus, leading to ongoing scientific disagreement.

The confusion deepened as researchers attempted to reconcile morphological traits with molecular data. In 2002, some experts proposed the genus Xanthocyparis to house both the Nootka cypress and the Vietnamese golden cypress. Yet, further analysis, including a 2021 study by Stull et al., identified the Nootka cypress as belonging to the genus Callitropsis, positioning it as a sister genus to Hesperocyparis. This ongoing debate highlights the difficulty of classifying species that share traits across multiple established groups.

Beyond its identity crisis, the tree is a marvel of longevity and resilience. Specimens in the Caren Range of British Columbia have been found to be over 1,800 years old, with some potentially exceeding 3,000 years. Thriving in moist, high-precipitation environments, the tree utilizes anti-fungal chemicals to resist decay and insects, allowing it to occupy rocky, high-elevation sites where other species struggle. While it is a parent to the hybrid Leyland cypress, its own survival in the wild is tied to specific, often isolated, mountain ecosystems.

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