Provence Cypress - Cupressus sempervirens seeds

Provence Cypress - Cupressus sempervirens seeds

Cupressus sempervirens
Italian Cypress, Mediterranean Cypress, Pencil Pine

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per pack of 100 seeds approximately (1g)

From 3,90 €

Price per item 4,90 €
Price for 3: 11,70 € i.e 3,90 € each

Sku: 239931

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An elegant conifer with a slender, columnar habit. This tree is iconic in Mediterranean landscapes. With its narrow silhouette and dark green evergreen foliage, it has few equals for structuring a garden. Hardy down to -15°C, the Provence cypress tolerates wind and summer drought very well once established. It prefers sunny positions and well-drained soil. Sow in spring after cold stratification to break the seed dormancy.

Height at maturity

20 m

Exposure

Sun

Germination time (days)

60 days

Sowing method

Direct sowing, Sowing under cover

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Sowing period March to June

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Description

The Provence Cypress, in Latin Cupressus sempervirens, also known as common cypress or Italian cypress, is a tall conifer, emblematic of Mediterranean regions. Its slender, dark silhouette holds significant architectural value in landscape design. This hardy and low-maintenance, long-lived tree is often planted as a hedge, in rows, or as a standalone specimen.

Belonging to the Cupressaceae family, Cupressus sempervirens originates from Asia Minor, particularly Crete, Rhodes, Turkey, and Iran. Its Latin name "sempervirens" means "evergreen", reflecting its persistent foliage. This tree can reach a height of 20 to 30 m with a spread of 2 to 4 m, depending on growing conditions. It exhibits relatively fast growth in its early years, gaining up to 50 cm annually under favourable conditions. Its trunk is straight, with smooth grey-reddish bark that cracks with age. The branches are typically upright, forming a narrow, columnar crown. The dark green leaves, shaped like small overlapping scales, are arranged in four ranks. Both male and female flowers are present on the same individual: the tree is monoecious. The 2–3 cm in diameter female cones mature in autumn of the second year and release winged seeds. The root system of this cypress is well-developed, with horizontal, shallow secondary roots, ensuring stability even on slopes and in windy regions.

Since ancient times, the Provence Cypress has been planted in Mediterranean civilisations' gardens, notably by the Greeks and Romans, who associated it with immortality and often placed it in cemeteries. In Tuscany and Provence, it has served for centuries as a windbreak and landscape marker, lining roads and farm estates. Its durable, rot-resistant wood has been prized for construction and furniture-making, partly due to its characteristic fragrance that repels insects.

The Provence Cypress is irreplaceable for adding height to the garden. It can be planted in rows to create majestic avenues or used as a hedge to form a dense, evergreen screen. As a standalone specimen, this conifer commands presence. It pairs naturally with Mediterranean plants like lavender, santolina, or an olive tree. Plant santolina and lavender around the cypress. An olive tree planted at a distance will balance the scene with its silvery foliage and broader silhouette.

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Cypress, Cupressus: planting, pruning and care

Family sheet

Modified the 24 September 2025 by Eva 11 min.

Cypress, Cupressus: planting, pruning and care

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<a href="https://en.promessedefleurs.eu/shrubs/conifers/conifers-by-variety/cupressus.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cypresses or Cupressus</a> appear as sturdy conifers populating dry southern regions, while their close cousins, the false cypresses, belonging to genus <a href="https://en.promessedefleurs.eu/shrubs/conifers/conifers-by-variety/chamaecyparis.html">Chamaecyparis</a>, are more accustomed to cool, humid northern regions. Provence cypress <a href="https://en.promessedefleurs.eu/shrubs/conifers/conifers-a-to-z/provence-cypress-cupressus-sempervirens-pyramidalis.html">Cupressus sempervirens</a> of Asian origin quickly became an icon of Mediterranean gardens and cemeteries. It plays a major role in Italian- or Provençal-style garden design and in Tuscan landscapes for marking agricultural plots. Already in ancient Greek and Roman times, the tree fascinated people with the permanence of its wood and its foliage. It was integral to mythology, symbolising eternal mourning and salvation, the wealth of a household... Mesopotamians used its essential oil as a principal medicine alongside willow, while Egyptians used it for embalming mummies. The fine, scaly foliage of cypress gives off a strong resinous scent, even citronella-like, as with Lambert or Monterey cypress <a href="https://en.promessedefleurs.eu/shrubs/conifers/conifers-a-to-z/cupressus-macrocarpa.html">Cupressus macrocarpa</a>, very common on the Breton coast. These are undemanding conifers, notable for remarkable hardiness, accustomed to withstanding wind, sea spray and drought — qualities that led to their widespread planting in gardens of southern France. With <a href="https://en.promessedefleurs.eu/shrubs/shrubs-a-to-z/olea-europaea-olive.html">olive</a>, a few rosemary or cistus plants and a dry-stone terrace, Provence cypress remains an essential plant to complete image of Mediterranean garden, and you run little risk of losing it compared with other sun-loving trees or bushes. Note that term «cypress» also designates other conifers such as <a href="https://en.promessedefleurs.eu/shrubs/conifers/conifers-by-variety/chamaecyparis/chamaecyparis-lawsoniana-columnaris-lawson-cypress.html">Lawson cypress</a> (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana), Leyland cypress (Cupressocyparis x leylandii), successful hedge plants, the latter obtained by cross-breeding between Cupressus macrocarpa and Chamaecyparis nootkatensis, swamp cypress (Taxodium distichum) and creeping Siberian cypress (Microbiota decussata), whose requirements in terms of soil and climate are quite different.

Provence Cypress - Cupressus sempervirens seeds in pictures

Foliage

Plant habit

Flowering

Fragrance Very fragrant,

Foliage

Foliage persistence Evergreen

Foliage colour dark green

Aromatic? Fragrant foliage when creased

Plant habit

Height at maturity 20 m

Spread at maturity 3 m

Growth rate fast

Safety measures

Potential risks Plant that can cause respiratory allergy due to pollen

Botanical data

Genus

Cupressus

Species

sempervirens

Family

Cupressaceae

Other common names

Italian Cypress, Mediterranean Cypress, Pencil Pine

Botanical synonyms

Cupressus sempervirens var. pyramidalis ( Nyman ), Cupressus sempervirens var. horizontalis, Cupressus horizontalis, Cupressus sempervirens var. stricta

Origin

Southern Europe, Mediterranean, West Asia

Product reference • 23993

Planting and care

Sowing Provence cypress: preferably in spring

To improve their germination rate, cold stratify the seeds for 1 to 2 months. Place the seeds in a plastic bag with a moist substrate such as peat or sand, then store the bag in the refrigerator.

After this period, the seeds can be sown in spring in a mixture of seed compost and sand, at about one cm deep. Keep the substrate slightly moist, place the pots in a bright spot without direct sunlight, with a temperature between 15 and 20°C. Germination can be quite slow and take between one and three months.

When the young plants reach between 5 and 10 cm in height, they should be transplanted into individual, fairly deep pots containing a well-draining substrate. Place them in full sun and water moderately, ensuring the substrate dries out between waterings.

Once well established, cypresses are very drought-resistant and require little watering, except during prolonged dry spells or for younger specimens. They adapt well to poor and chalky soils, but good drainage remains essential to prevent root rot. In spring, a balanced fertiliser for conifers can be beneficial to stimulate their growth.

Sowing period

Sowing period March to June

Sowing method Direct sowing, Sowing under cover

Germination time (days) 60 days

Intended location

Suitable for Meadow

Type of use Free-standing, Hedge

Hardiness Hardy down to -12°C (USDA zone 8a) Show map

Ease of cultivation Amateur

Exposure Sun

Soil pH Any

Soil moisture Dry soil, Moist soil, well-drained