Patagonian Cypress

Fitzroya cupressoides, known as the Patagonian Cypress is a large, evergreen tree native to the Valdivian rainforests of Chile and Argentina. It grows at a slow rate and is one of the longest-lived tree species in the world. Garden specimens can expect heights of 10 to 15 metres with a spread of 6 metres. In its natural range, specimens can reach over 50 metres tall and reach ages over 2,000 years old.

It can tolerate wet soils and prefers a humid, moist location away from cold and dry winds. It is cold hardy down to -9C and tolerates snow. In Australia, this plant is suited to locations with high rainfall and moist conditions, with average temperature ranges between 11C and 16C. It prefers rich acidic soils, with a moderate clay substrate. A beautiful ornamental tree and living fossil. Ancient relatives of the Patagonian Cypress once grew in Australia’s southeast and were abundant through to the Miocene period.