Tecate Cypress

Cupressus forbesii
(Hesperocyparis forbesii)
(Callitropsis forbesii)

Grows in chaparral and woodland habitats at 1,000 to 8000 ft.  It is native to the western Peninsular Ranges where there are four main populations in Orange County (Coal, Fremont, and Gypsum Canyons of the northern Santa Ana Mountains) and San Diego County (Tecate and Otay Mountains, the largest population) in Southern California; and northern Baja California, Mexico. The northernmost stand, in Orange County, which comprises a large area on the upper limits of Coal Canyon and Sierra Peak, burned in a 2006 wildfire (one of six large fires over the last 100 yrs.).  Very few mature trees survived but regeneration is occurring by the hundreds to thousands. However, another wildfire before trees are able to reach cone-producing age, which can be quite old for this species (30-40 yrs.), could extirpate the stand (Wikipedia). Plantings of individual trees and reseeding after fires have scattered a few cypresses in unexpected places outside its native range.

A short, monoecious, shrubby, multi-trunked, evergreen tree. Branches ascending on young trees; can occur in dense stands reaching 3-6 ft., but typically up to 30 ft. tall; thin bark exfoliates in plates revealing a smooth, polished, cherry red, or reddish brown, resembling sycamore or eucalyptus.   Older bark is brown.  The Tecate Cypress is the only plant on which the rare Thorne's Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus thornei) lays its eggs (Wikipedia). Used as windbreaks and hedges in hot dry interior locations in Southern California. 

Status: Endangered species list 1B.1 of the California Native Plant Society (species that are rare and threatened throughout their range, and occur primarily within California).

Management report. Natural stands: CNF1, CNF2, CNF3, CNF4

Back to Cupressaceae of Orange County, California
Back to Eudicots of Orange County, California
Back to Natural History of Orange County, California