Cupressus lusitanica Cupressaceae Mexico, Guatemala Am: Yeferenji-tid Eng: Mexican cypress Ecology Seed The Mexican cypress originates from the Germination rate about 30‑45% in 10‑20 moist mountain forests of Mexico and days. 160,000–290,000 seed per kg. The Central America. After the eucalypts it is right time for collection is when the cones one of the commonest plantation trees in start to turn brown. After collection the Ethiopia. It grows best in Dry, Moist, and cones are dried in the sun until they open. Wet Weyna Dega and Dega agroclimatic The seeds can then be separated from zones. The tree is only moderately drought the cones by shaking on a sieve. Sow in a resistant and requires deep moist soils. seedbed and prick out in pots. Cypress aphid in Ethiopia Treatment: Not necessary. Storage Uses : Seed can be stored for some months but the viability is gradually Firewood, timber (furniture, construction), reduced. poles, posts, shade, ornamental, windbreak, live fence. Management Fast‑growing on good sites, moderate Description on poorer sites. Weeding during early A large evergreen conifer to 35 m with a establishment. Pruning and thinning of straight trunk, generally conical but not trees in woodlots managed for timber regular in shape, branches wide spreading. production, trimming if grown as a live The branchlets grow in many planes and fence. branches hang down. BARK: Red‑brown with vertical grooves, grey with age. Remarks LEAVES: Dull blue‑green, in 4 ranks, Cypress can produce poles after 10 years with spreading pointed tips. CONES: and general‑purpose timber in as little as 20 Male cones like fat tips on branchlets, years. The tree is susceptible to Monochaetia produce clouds of yellow pollen; female unicornis (canker) pathogen and Oemida cones round, 1.5 cm across, waxy‑grey gahani woodborer. From Ethiopia and colour when young. Cones ripen in 2 years Kenya and south to Malawi, cypress becoming brown, scales open to release plantations have been badly affected by a many winged seeds. Scales have a central cypress aphid and many thousands of trees thin “peg”. have died in recent years. Propagation Seedlings. 200 | Useful Trees and Shrubs of Ethiopia The Species | 201.