Guaitecas cypress: Complete Care Guide

What Is Guaitecas cypress and Where Does It Come From?

The Guaitecas cypress (Pilgerodendron uviferum) is the southernmost conifer in the world, growing in southern Chile and southwestern Argentina, from near Valdivia (about 40° S) to Tierra del Fuego (54° S). It is the only species in its genus, though many botanists include it in Libocedrus. It is an evergreen tree with a narrow, conical crown, reaching 2 to 20 m in height with a trunk up to 1.5 m in diameter, featuring reddish-brown bark that peels in grayish strips. Its leaves are tiny scales, less than 1 cm long, arranged in crossed pairs so that the branchlets appear square. It is dioecious, with separate male and female trees producing cones of 5 to 12 mm. It inhabits peat bogs, wetlands, and humid forests of the coast and the Andes, thriving in acidic, nutrient-poor, and waterlogged soils where it often forms nearly pure stands. It is very slow-growing and long-lived. Its aromatic, reddish-yellow wood is nearly rot-proof and was historically used for railway sleepers, boats, oars, and houses; however, exploitation, fires, and livestock have reduced its population. It is currently classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN and protected under CITES Appendix I.