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Boring
Common Names
Common Uses
Countries of Distribution
Cutting Resistance
Distribution Overview
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying
Environmental Profile
Family Name
Grain
Heartwood Color
Luster
Natural Durability
Numerical Data
Odor
Planing
Polishing
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Response to Hand Tools
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Texture
Trade Name
Tree Size
Veneering Qualities

Scientific Name
Cupressus macnabiana

Trade Name
Macnab cypress

Family Name
Cupressaceae

Wood Image 1

Common Names
Macnab cypress, Monterey cypress

Regions of Distribution
North America

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
United States

Common Uses
Building materials, Furniture , Interior construction, Paneling , Posts, Rustic furniture, Tables , Utility furniture, Wainscotting

Environmental Profile
Vulnerable
Rare in parts of its natural range (population is at risk)

Ven abundantly at some of its locations) in a restricted range. Other existing factors may also be threatening the survival of the species throughout its range (Source - The Nature Conservancy - Rank of relative endangerment based primarily on the number of occurrences of the species globally)

Distribution Overview
MacNab cypress occurs only in California and has the widest distribution of any of the California cypress. Numerous scattered groves occur in the inner North Coast Ranges, the Sierra Nevada foothills, and the Cascade Range. Over 30 groves occur in the following counties: Sonoma, Napa, Yolo, Mendocino, Lake, Colusa, Tehama, Shasta, Butte, Nevada, Yuba, and Amador.

Heartwood Color
Red
Brown
Purple
Pink


Sapwood Color
Brown
Pink
Red


Grain
Interlocked
Straight
Figure
Even
Birds-eye (figure)
Distinct (figure)

Growth rings (figure)

Texture
Medium
Fine
Coarse


Luster
Medium
Low
High


Natural Durability
Moderately durable
Non-durable
Perishable
Non-resistant to marine borers
Non-resistant to powder post beetles
Resistant to termites
Susceptible to insect attack


The timber has high natural resistance to decay and attack by other wood destroying organisms

Odor
Has a pleasant odor


Drying Defects
Splitting
Distortion
Checking


Ease of Drying
Variable
Reconditioning Treatement


Tree Size
Tree height is 20-30 m
Sapwood width is 10-15 cm
Tree height is 30-40 m


It develops wide spreading crowns that are often more broad than high

Boring
Excellent (95+ pieces out of 100 will yield excellent results)


Cutting Resistance
Straight
Figure
Even
Other (figure)
Variable (figure)
Growth rings (figure)
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Poor to Very Poor Results


Planing
Fair to Good Results
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Resistance to Impregnation
Resistant heartwood
Permeable heartwood
Permeable sapwood
Resistant sapwood


Response to Hand Tools
Easy to Work
Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work


Veneering Qualities
Suitable for peeling
Veneers easily
Veneers moderately easy


Polishing
Fair to Good Results


Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish

References
Brockman, F.C. and R. Merrilees. 1986. Trees of North America - A Guide to Field Identification. Revised Version. Herbert S. Zim, editor. Published by the Golden Press, New York.

Dave Faison. Into the Woods. Personal Communication, 1993.

Little, E.L. 1980. The Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Trees - Western Region. Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York.

Petrides, G.A.and O. Petrides. 1992. A Field Guide to Western Trees - Western United States and Canada. The Petersen Field Guide Series, 44. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston.