Austrocedrus chilensis

Austrocedrus chilensis, commonly known as cordilleran cypress or ciprés de la cordillera, is a distinctive evergreen conifer native to the mountains of Chile and western Argentina. It forms a narrow, upright crown with dense sprays of scale-like foliage and is particularly characteristic of drier Andean forests. Slow-growing but long-lived, it is well adapted to cool mountain conditions and can tolerate a surprisingly broad range of soil moisture levels. Female trees produce small woody cones containing winged seeds.

• Common name: Cordilleran cypress, Ciprés de la cordillera, Chilean cedar, Chilean incense cedar.
• Hardiness: approximately -10 to -15 °C.
• Maximum height: approximately 20–24 m in its natural habitat; cultivated plants are often smaller.
• Flowers / fruit: Produces cones rather than true flowers or fruit. Male and female cones occur on separate plants; female cones contain small winged seeds.
• Type: Tree · Conifer · Evergreen.
• Soil: prefers moist but well-drained, moderately fertile soil, but is adaptable and naturally occurs across a broad soil-moisture gradient. It can grow in loam, sand and chalky soils and tolerates acidic, neutral and alkaline conditions.