In many of the advertisements for holidays in Mediterranean countries, especially Italy, you see roads winding through green hills or vineyards to an old brick farmhouse or medieval fortress. The roads are always lined with tall, upright trees in contrast to the rest of the landscape. They are cypress trees, trees specific to the Mediterranean area. The cypress is known not only as a 'sales agent' for tourism companies but also for the ethereal oils extracted from its bark, for the highly resistant wood said to have been used to build Noah's famous ark, or for its acoustic properties prized by lovers of the vibrant sounds of flamenco music. Learn more about cypress, wood and its uses below.
The cypress tree, the tree of idyllic images of rural Tuscany
Like fig tree, cypress is mentioned in the Bible as a material used in temple construction. Noah's ark was also built from cypress wood. In Egypt, cypress wood was used to build sarcophagi, and in Greece it was used to carve statues of the gods. Emperor Constantine commissioned cypress doors for St Peter's Church in the Vatican, which lasted for 800 years before being replaced in 1445 with bronze ones. The original cypress doors can still be seen in the Vatican museum.
All this information tells us that cypress has been present in the Mediterranean area since ancient times. Having been planted since ancient times, it is difficult to pinpoint its exact native area, but it is believed to have originated from the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea and the area of present-day Syria, Lebanon and Israel. It now grows as an ornamental tree or in plantations around the Mediterranean Sea in Spain, Portugal, Turkey, the southern Caspian Sea and Asia Minor. It has been acclimatised in the USA, Australia, New Zealand, even in the Sahara desert.
Since ancient times, the cypress has been a symbol of mourning and the world beyond. It is now a common presence in cemeteries in the Muslim and European Catholic world. In Italy, you know that in a certain area there is a cemetery by the cypress tree funnel that can be seen from afar. This association with death was made because the cypress regenerates very slowly when broken or cut, and its cones sometimes only open if there is a forest fire. But it is not just a symbol of death, the idyllic images of rural roads in Tuscany and Umbria are proof of this.
The tall and upright man named and pencil pin
The cypress, with its Latin name Cupressus Sempervirens is one of those evergreen conifers that don't lose their leaves in winter. In fact, Sempervirens means just that, evergreen. In English you can find it as Mediterranean cypress, Italian cypress, Tuscan cypress, Spanish cypress or pencil pine (pin In Italian it is cypress, in French cypress, in German zypress and in Spanish cipres.
It thrives well in warm climates with dry summers and adapts to different soils, and can be used to replant dry, calcareous soils or to prevent landslides. It is a long-lived tree that can live for over 1000 years, but there are specimens that are well beyond this age. Genus Cupressus has more than 20 species spread throughout the northern hemisphere's warm and warm-temperate regions, even arid ones. All species have a characteristic, aromatic, very pleasant smell.
Cypress grows straight and tall, typically up to 20-25 m tall and 0.6-0.8 m diameter, but can reach 30-33 m tall and 1 m diameter. The bark, grey-greenish and smooth when young, darkens to grey-brown when mature and longitudinal cracks appear. The narrow, pyramidal crown bows even in the slightest breeze. This is why it is also called drama tree (dramatic tree).
The leaves are dense, scale-like, rounded (not flat), 2-5 mm long and dark green. Seed cones (female) are ovoid or elongated, 25-40 mm long, with 10-14 scales that are green at first and turn brown when mature. The fertile scales hide 8-20 brown, winged, flat seeds. The female cones open in September, about 2 years after pollination, and can remain open on the branches for a long time afterwards. Sometimes it takes the high temperature generated by a fire to open. Male cones are 3-5 mm long and release pollen in late winter.
Cypress wood - appearance and characteristics
In cross-section through the cypress trunk an irregular outline between sapwood and heartwood can be seen quite clearly. The sapwood is light yellow and the heartwood is yellow-brown to reddish-brown, darkening towards maturity. The fibre is usually fine and straight, but the presence of knots leads to its deflection and the appearance of an irregular pattern. It has a natural sheen and a specific, aromatic smell, impregnated by the essential oils present in the bark. The annual rings are visible, the transition from early to late wood being gradual. It has no resinous canals and the diameter of the tracheid is small to medium.
Cypress has a durable wood that is resistant to moisture, insects and fungi. The darker the wood, the stronger it is. It is one of the strong softwoods, with an average dry (anhydrous) density of 535 kg/m³. It is dimensionally stable, but drying must be done slowly because it has a tendency to crack.
It is easy to work manually and mechanically, except in areas with knots. Here very sharp blades are needed because the deflected fibre causes problems. Grinding and sanding can also be difficult in the knot area. When joining elements with nails or screws it is recommended to drill holes beforehand to avoid cracking. The joints once made are strong and the wood does not crack.
Cypress wood glues, stains and varnishes easily. Even though it can present problems when sanding, the end result is a smooth and pleasant surface with a slight natural sheen. It can be turned, milled and carved with ease, but steam bending is not recommended.
Insect and moisture resistance makes it very suitable for outdoor use
Its resistance to water, insects and fungi has been discovered since ancient times, and cypress wood is frequently used for boat building. Being resistant to carrion attack and termites was used in the structure of houses. In the past, it was used as a container for borhot in distilleries because of its ability to hold ferments. With the advent of stainless steel, its career in this field ended.
Today, cypress wood is used for windows, boats, decks, fences and furniture, especially for storing clothes and linen. It is so strong outdoors that it performs well even when unfinished. It has been used in the past to make harpsichords and is now used to make guitars. It can be carved and turned into bowls or other small decorative objects.
The oil extracted from the bark of the cypress tree is used in cosmetics because it has astringent, anti-seborrheic and anti-ageing effects. It is also used in the pharmaceutical, perfume and herbal medicine industries.
It is widely cultivated as an ornamental tree.
Flamenco guitar wood
Cypress is the traditional wood for flamenco guitars. It is used to make the back and sides because it can be worked better than palisander, the wood originally used, and the result is a guitar with a thinner back. This processing results in the vibrant and distinctive sound of flamenco guitars.
There is another explanation for its use in flamenco guitar making. Cypress was a local wood, much cheaper than rosewood brought from the colonies. Flamenco singers were poor and couldn't buy an expensive guitar made from a hard-to-find wood. To help them out, the luthiers came up with the idea of trying cypress wood, and were delighted with the vibrant, full-bodied sound they got.
The wood used to make guitars must be of very high quality. It sometimes takes up to 30 years after cutting to reach the desired moisture content and characteristics. That's why, even if it used to be cheap, a good quality flamenco guitar is now out of reach.
Until I discovered the cyparos I didn't know there was such a big difference between classical and flamenco guitar. They always seemed identical to me because I never listened to the same piece played, one after the other, on the two guitars. I saw the video below and it all became much clearer. The main differences are related to:
- weight - flamenco guitar is much lighter than classical guitar,
- the wood used, which generates different sounds and tones,
- guitar thickness - flamenco guitars are narrower than classical guitars,
- Distance between strings and guitar - flamenco guitar strings are closer to the guitar, which creates a vibration that flamenco lovers appreciate.
In the video, the main differences are clearly explained and the demonstration is more than eloquent.
I hope you find the information interesting. As usual, we welcome additions. And if you have any questions or queries, please leave them in the space below. I'm sure I'll reply.
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