PlantFiles: Cedar of Goa, Mexican Cypress
Cupressus lusitanica

This is a cypress from Mexico and Central America (the specific name "lusitanica" was given because it was cultivated in Portugal by the time when it was first described. They also thought it came from Goa, India, so the popular name "Cedar of Goa") that survives quite well in warm climates, and is a very popular cypress in Brazil, one of the very few conifers that can grow here in the tropics.

It can grow up to 30 meters high, but here I have only seen plants with 1/3 of that, at most. They are mostly used as hedges, or short trees for small beds and gardens, and often sold as Christmas trees. The branches are cylindrical, covered with small evergreen, scale like, aromatic leaves. The tree shape is typically pyramidal.

The male cones are small, light brown to golden, appearing on the tips of the branches. The female cones are spherical, of the size of a small marble, with 6-8, spiny, green scales. It takes 2 years to finally ripe.