Cypress Oil

The plant

Cupressus sempervirens, the Mediterranean cypress, is a species of conifer in the family Cupressaceae, native to the eastern Mediterranean region and Iran. The species name sempervirens comes from the Latin for 'evergreen'. The leaves are scale-like, 2-5 mm long. The tree grows up to 35 m tall and has a conic crown with level branches. The foliage grows in dense, dark green sprays. The seed cones are ovoid or oblong, 25-40 mm long, and turn from green to brown about 20-24 months after pollination. The species is widespread across the Mediterranean basin and survives in both acidic and alkaline soils and under drought.

Composition

In one analysis of the leaf oil, α-pinene made up 60.5% of the oil, while another study found only 26.4%. The same analysis found limonene at 4.6%, myrcene at 3.9% and germacrene D at 2.3%. In oil from the leaves of the cultivar cereiformis grown in Iran, α-pinene made up 39.0% and δ-3-carene 24.0%. Monoterpenic hydrocarbons as a group made up 79.4% of that leaf oil. Cedrol is the second most important component of the oil, at 8.3%.

Uses

The oil from the leaves of the plant can aid in recovery from minor ailments like nasal congestion. Cypress essential oil is rarely used in cosmetics. Dried seeds are sometimes used to help control skin conditions such as acne and to heal cuts or scrapes. The plant has also been taken orally for coughs, colds and bronchitis. A decoction of the leaves and cones was used in a sitz bath for hemorrhoids.

Cypress absolute

Cypress absolute is a separate extract from the oil.

The tree in culture

In classical antiquity, the cypress was a symbol of mourning, and in the modern era, it remains the principal cemetery tree in both the Muslim world and Europe.

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Related: Alder · Alpha Humulene · Amaranth · Amberever · Amburana Bark · Apple Tree