🌲 Monterey Cypress

How to Identify Monterey Cypress

Monterey cypress — famously photographed as the Lone Cypress at Pebble Beach — is native only to two groves on the Monterey Peninsula but widely planted throughout the SF Peninsula for windbreaks and ornament.

• Scale-like foliage (not needles) in dense, flattened sprays — bright green to dark green, with a lemony scent when crushed
• Distinctive wind-sculpted canopy in exposed sites — flat-topped, horizontally spreading, dramatic silhouette
• Rough, thick, fibrous bark — gray-brown, deeply furrowed in older specimens
• Round, woody cones 1–1.5 inches — clustered in groups, persist on branches for years
• Inland trees grow more upright and symmetrical; coastal trees develop the iconic windswept form

Where It Grows on the Peninsula

Planted extensively along the Peninsula coast and in older residential neighborhoods. Very common in Burlingame, San Mateo, Hillsborough, and Pacifica as windbreak and hedge trees. Rows of Monterey cypress often mark old property lines from early 20th-century estates. The Leland Stanford cypress allée on the Stanford campus is a notable local example.

Protection Status by City

Use our Permit Checker for your specific situation.

Common Issues & Diseases

Coryneum Canker (Seiridium cardinale)

The biggest threat to Monterey cypress on the Peninsula. This fungal disease causes branch dieback progressing from the outer canopy inward. Infected branches ooze dark resin. Spread by rain splash and contaminated pruning tools. There is no cure — management focuses on removing infected branches promptly to slow spread.

Cypress Bark Beetle

Small beetles bore into stressed trees, often following coryneum canker infection. Exit holes with fine sawdust indicate activity. Infestations accelerate decline in already-compromised trees.

Root Rot (Phytophthora)

Monterey cypress is susceptible to root rot in poorly drained soils. Symptoms include progressive yellowing and thinning of the canopy from the ground up. Avoid planting in heavy clay without drainage improvement.

Peninsula Care Calendar

Detailed Notes

Fire Risk

Moderate — the aromatic oils in cypress foliage are flammable, but the dense, moist canopy is less of a fire risk than pine. Dead branches from coryneum canker increase fuel load.

Drought Tolerance

Good — Monterey cypress evolved in the fog belt and tolerates summer drought well once established. However, drought stress can trigger bark beetle attacks.

Wildlife Value

Good. Dense canopy provides excellent nesting habitat for hawks, owls, and great blue herons. Large Peninsula cypress trees often host raptor nests — check for nesting activity before scheduling any pruning work (March–August).

Arborist Pro Tips

Written by Michael Schuck, ISA Certified Arborist WE-15750A · Updated February 2026
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