Italian cypress

Cupressus sempervirens and related cypress (accepted: Cupressus sempervirens) · Cupressaceae · all Cupressus records · also called Leyland cypress · Wikipedia

View Saved

Is this one for your yard?

Enter your ZIP to see whether this is legal to plant in your state, and whether it survives your winter.

Italian cypress is not fire resistant; Environmental Management’s study recommends avoiding it near houses.

Five of six assessments support that conclusion, though one laboratory test gives a more favorable result.

INRA’s Avignon station measured ignition frequency and average ignition delay with epiradiator tests. Its monthly scores ran from 0 to 3 on a 0-to-5 inflammability scale, with a July-through-September maximum of 2. That placed Italian cypress within INRA’s recommended range for the fire season. The result describes how readily tested material ignited under that method, not its suitability beside a house.

Other findings are more severe. Environmental Management rated live leaves not very flammable at 1 but dead leaves extremely flammable at 5. The dead material measured in the hedge canopy drove the study’s conclusion to avoid Italian cypress near houses. Landscape and Urban Planning rated live leaves very flammable at 4, measuring 82.18 percent foliar moisture, 13.32 seconds to ignition on average, and a mean flame duration of 10.58 seconds.

The City of Grants Pass and the City of Ashland both list Italian cypress as highly flammable. The USDA Forest Service and state Firewise programs rate it 4, Not Firewise, the most adverse category on their four-point scale. The combined findings support keeping Italian cypress away from structures.

Fire-resistant trees instead

Form: tree
Region: France; Greece; Italy; Mediterranean France; Morocco; Spain; Turkey
Rated in: Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa; Catalonia, Spain; Córdoba, southern Spain; Global +5

On this lot

1. Fire evidence and conditions

Fire evidence: Highly flammable — location does not change the cited classification.
Fire-performance conditions: 2 conditions stated in cited fire-evidence rows.
Fire ecology context
Placement evidence: 4 source placement records; source schemes remain separate.
Evidence regions: Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa; Catalonia, Spain; Córdoba, southern Spain; Global; Greece; Mediterranean France / Provence; OR; Provence, southeastern France; eastern US
Maintenance

2. Why this plant is relevant here

State distribution
Native range
Introduced / established
USDA hardiness: Only uncertain or inapplicable hardiness rows are cited; no primary zone is projected.

3. Legal, ecological, and broader status

Legal-list status
Seed-list status
Reported invasive here
Broader regional context
Federal context

How to read this page

The status above is computed from the cited rows below: independent recommendations can support a fire-resistant result, an avoid row can produce keep-away, and disagreement stays visible as conflict. Placement notes preserve each source’s own scheme rather than translating unlike rules into one scale. This is evidence about a plant, not permission to plant it in every part of the defensible space; Zone 0 remains noncombustible.

Plant hardiness evidence

These values describe the plant source. Your ZIP zone comes from the separate 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Whole-zone values stay whole-zone, and a single unresolved value is not treated as a tolerance range. Different source boundaries stay separate: overlapping statements are compared independently, while only ranges with no shared zone are called a conflict.

Eastern United States Fire Performance Plant Selector · record cupressus-sempervirens · 2016-wayback · as of 2026-08-26

Source prints 6 · single-value meaning unresolved · whole zone precision · source stated

Source taxon: Cupressus sempervirens · accepted name match.

Source location: Cold Hardiness Zone field in the recovered selector record.

Not used for comparison: The recovered selector prints one Cold Hardiness Zone value but does not define it as a minimum threshold or a one-zone range.

Conditions in the fire evidence

These describe tested or rated plant material. They are not horticultural maintenance instructions.

dead material: Flammability of some ornamental species in wildland-urban interfaces in southeastern France evidence row
green: The ignition index based on flammability of vegetation improves planning in the WUI evidence row

Where its sources say to plant it

Placement rules below use each source's own distances or named zones, tied to its rating. They are not interchangeable with the directory's current Zone 0 guidance.

Eastern United States Fire Performance Plant Selector: Landscape Zone 3 — 10–30 ft from the structure; thin vegetation, remove debris, and minimize plant massing [Fire Performance Plant Selector landscape zone] (with its avoid rating)
Guía de pirojardinería: not suitable inside or outside the 25-metre maximum-risk zone [girona-2020-iuf-25m-suitability] (with its avoid rating)
Time to extinguish the exotic flame: Lessons from the 202…: Urban zone; Table 1 and deposited raw workbook [macalister-2025-leaf-flammability] (mid-scale rating)
Κανονισμός Πυροπροστασίας Ακινήτων εντός ή πλησίον δασικώ…: section 5.4.2, Table 2δi [greece-2023-particularly-flammable] (with its avoid rating)

The evidence

Grouped by what each source concluded. Primary evidence rated the plant itself (a lab, field program, or original curation); corroboration compiled or republished another source's rating and resolves to its root lineage.

Avoids (7)

Eastern United States Fire Performance Plant Selector — USDA Forest Service Northeastern Area S&PF + state Firewise programs (WV, OH, PA, DE, DC, MD, NJ) · 2016-wayback · original source Primary evidence Keyed curation lineage: ufifas-srs-tree

“NOT Firewise (4)”

Imported columnar evergreen with weeping outer branches.
Flammability of some ornamental species in wildland-urban interfaces in southeastern France — Environmental Management (Ganteaume, Jappiot, Lampin, Guijarro, Hernando) · 2013 · original source Primary evidence Lab-tested lineage: inia-madrid-tree

“Live leaves not very flammable (1); dead leaves extremely flammable (5); overall conclusion says avoid near houses” · score 5 (valette-0-5-live-leaf) · condition: dead material

The live/dead leaf contrast and measured dead material in the hedge canopy determine the paper's overall WUI conclusion.
The ignition index based on flammability of vegetation improves planning in the WUI — Landscape and Urban Planning (Molina, Martín, Rodríguez y Silva & Herrera) · 2017 · original source Primary evidence Lab-tested lineage: molina-uco-tree

“Very flammable (Valette 4)” · score 4 (valette-0-5-live-leaf) · condition: green

Table 2 reports 82.18% foliar moisture, 13.32 s mean time to ignition, and 10.58 s mean flame duration across 200 live-leaf samples.
Guía de pirojardinería — guía práctica de jardinería adaptada a la prevención de incendios forestales — Diputació de Girona and Bombers de la Generalitat de Catalunya · 2020 Spanish edition · original source Primary evidence Expert-curated lineage: elvira-hernando-1989 + cooperem-tree

“MUY DESACONSEJADA”

Cupressus sempervirens is rated “MUY DESACONSEJADA” by the guide's qualitative IUF garden-suitability method. The method assumes species-specific care and integrates fire evidence with fuel structure, maintenance, origin, invasiveness, and expert fire-service experience.

Corroboration (3 rows from 3 sources)

Fire-Resistant vs. Highly Flammable Plants — City of Grants Pass · original source Corroboration Compilation lineage: pnw590-tree

“listed highly flammable”
Best Practices for Fire Resistant Landscaping — City of Ashland · original source Corroboration Regulation lineage: pnw590-tree

“listed highly flammable” · original source
Κανονισμός Πυροπροστασίας Ακινήτων εντός ή πλησίον δασικών εκτάσεων — Hellenic Ministry of Environment and Energy · FEK B 3475/2023 · original source Corroboration Regulation

“ΙΔΙΑΙΤΕΡΑ ΕΥΦΛΕΚΤΑ ΕΝΔΗΜΙΚΑ ΦΥΤΑ — Cupressus sempervirens”

The regulation prints this taxon in its table of particularly flammable endemic trees and shrubs.

Mid-scale / conditional (1)

Time to extinguish the exotic flame: Lessons from the 2021 Cape Town fire — South African Journal of Botany / University of Cape Town · South African Journal of Botany 184:1163-1173 · original source Primary evidence Lab-tested lineage: independent (UCT post-Table-Mountain-fire study)

“Partially burned”

Official-workbook means across 50 leaf trials: fresh ignition 11.219 s, fresh sustainability 55.365 s, dry ignition 1.981 s, dry sustainability 18.901 s, and combustibility 7.278 mg DW s-1. Published Table 1 observation for the 2021 fire: Partially burned.

Listed without a rating (264)

Corroboration (264 rows from 1 source)

FLAMITS: FLAMmability plant traiTS database — Dryad / Global Ecology and Biogeography · Dryad version 9 · original source Corroboration Trait database lineage: meta-aggregator

264 cited rows from this source; its identity, lineage and tier are stated once.
- Primary study DellaRocca2015: Della Rocca, G., Hernando, C., Madrigal, J., Danti, R., Moya, J., Guijarro, M., ... Moya, B. (2015). Possible land management uses of common cypress to reduce wildfire initiation risk: a laboratory study. Journal of environmental management, 159, 68-77.
  
  Shared row context: site DellaRocca2015-1; sampling april.
  - Shared measurement context: Ignitability measurement; plant part litter; fuel dead; predrying yes; device calorimeter.
    - “time to flaming (s): 29”
      
      FLAMITS record 2413.
    - “time to flaming (s): 14”
      
      FLAMITS record 2414.
  - Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; plant part litter; fuel dead; predrying yes; device calorimeter.
    - “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 132”
      
      FLAMITS record 2415.
    - “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 165”
      
      FLAMITS record 2416.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 2937.8”
      
      FLAMITS record 2419.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 2937.8”
      
      FLAMITS record 2420.
    - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.08”
      
      FLAMITS record 2421.
    - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.09”
      
      FLAMITS record 2422.
    - “maximum sample temperature (°C): 864”
      
      FLAMITS record 2425.
    - “maximum sample temperature (°C): 899”
      
      FLAMITS record 2426.
    - “energy flux (kW/m²): 101”
      
      FLAMITS record 2455.
    - “energy flux (kW/m²): 117”
      
      FLAMITS record 2456.
  - Shared measurement context: Sustainability measurement; plant part litter; fuel dead; predrying yes; device calorimeter.
    - “flaming duration (s): 88”
      
      FLAMITS record 2417.
    - “flaming duration (s): 82”
      
      FLAMITS record 2418.
  - Shared measurement context: Consumability measurement; plant part litter; fuel dead; predrying yes; device calorimeter.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 85.3”
      
      FLAMITS record 2423.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 84.5”
      
      FLAMITS record 2424.
  - Shared measurement context: Ignitability measurement; plant part litter; fuel dead; predrying yes; device epiradiator.
    - “time to flaming (s): 35”
      
      FLAMITS record 2427.
    - “time to flaming (s): 13”
      
      FLAMITS record 2428.
    - “ignition frequency (%): 50”
      
      FLAMITS record 2429.
    - “ignition frequency (%): 50”
      
      FLAMITS record 2430.
    - “time to flaming (s): 48”
      
      FLAMITS record 2437.
    - “time to flaming (s): 13”
      
      FLAMITS record 2438.
    - “ignition frequency (%): 50”
      
      FLAMITS record 2439.
    - “ignition frequency (%): 50”
      
      FLAMITS record 2440.
    - “time to flaming (s): 4”
      
      FLAMITS record 2445.
    - “ignition frequency (%): 50”
      
      FLAMITS record 2446.
  - Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; plant part litter; fuel dead; predrying yes; device epiradiator.
    - “flame height (cm): 17”
      
      FLAMITS record 2431.
    - “flame height (cm): 16”
      
      FLAMITS record 2432.
    - “flame height (cm): 20”
      
      FLAMITS record 2441.
    - “flame height (cm): 17”
      
      FLAMITS record 2442.
    - “flame height (cm): 19”
      
      FLAMITS record 2447.
  - Shared measurement context: Sustainability measurement; plant part litter; fuel dead; predrying yes; device epiradiator.
    - “flaming duration (s): 13”
      
      FLAMITS record 2433.
    - “flaming duration (s): 23”
      
      FLAMITS record 2434.
    - “flaming duration (s): 11”
      
      FLAMITS record 2443.
    - “flaming duration (s): 14”
      
      FLAMITS record 2444.
    - “flaming duration (s): 27”
      
      FLAMITS record 2448.
  - Shared measurement context: Consumability measurement; plant part litter; fuel dead; predrying yes; device epiradiator.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 87.5”
      
      FLAMITS record 2435.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 87.2”
      
      FLAMITS record 2436.
  - Shared measurement context: Ignitability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device calorimeter.
    - “time to flaming (s): 262”
      
      FLAMITS record 2449.
    - “time to flaming (s): 92”
      
      FLAMITS record 2450.
    - “time to flaming (s): 277”
      
      FLAMITS record 2451.
    - “time to flaming (s): 110”
      
      FLAMITS record 2452.
    - “time to flaming (s): 290”
      
      FLAMITS record 2453.
    - “time to flaming (s): 134”
      
      FLAMITS record 2454.
    - “time to flaming (s): 19”
      
      FLAMITS record 2493.
    - “time to flaming (s): 13”
      
      FLAMITS record 2494.
    - “time to flaming (s): 23”
      
      FLAMITS record 2495.
    - “time to flaming (s): 11”
      
      FLAMITS record 2496.
    - “time to flaming (s): 31”
      
      FLAMITS record 2497.
    - “time to flaming (s): 11”
      
      FLAMITS record 2498.
  - Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device calorimeter.
    - “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 139”
      
      FLAMITS record 2457.
    - “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 160”
      
      FLAMITS record 2458.
    - “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 124”
      
      FLAMITS record 2459.
    - “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 160”
      
      FLAMITS record 2460.
    - “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 143”
      
      FLAMITS record 2461.
    - “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 158”
      
      FLAMITS record 2462.
    - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.04”
      
      FLAMITS record 2469.
    - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.1”
      
      FLAMITS record 2470.
    - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.04”
      
      FLAMITS record 2471.
    - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.08”
      
      FLAMITS record 2472.
    - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.04”
      
      FLAMITS record 2473.
    - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.08”
      
      FLAMITS record 2474.
    - “maximum sample temperature (°C): 917”
      
      FLAMITS record 2481.
    - “maximum sample temperature (°C): 882”
      
      FLAMITS record 2482.
    - “maximum sample temperature (°C): 926”
      
      FLAMITS record 2483.
    - “maximum sample temperature (°C): 919”
      
      FLAMITS record 2484.
    - “maximum sample temperature (°C): 895”
      
      FLAMITS record 2485.
    - “maximum sample temperature (°C): 870”
      
      FLAMITS record 2486.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 3487.15”
      
      FLAMITS record 2487.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 2651.18”
      
      FLAMITS record 2488.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 3200.53”
      
      FLAMITS record 2489.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 2937.8”
      
      FLAMITS record 2490.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 3893.18”
      
      FLAMITS record 2491.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 2842.26”
      
      FLAMITS record 2492.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 3678.22”
      
      FLAMITS record 2511.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 3558.8”
      
      FLAMITS record 2512.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 3367.72”
      
      FLAMITS record 2513.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 3415.49”
      
      FLAMITS record 2514.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 3534.91”
      
      FLAMITS record 2515.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 3296.07”
      
      FLAMITS record 2516.
    - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.07”
      
      FLAMITS record 2517.
    - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.09”
      
      FLAMITS record 2518.
    - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.06”
      
      FLAMITS record 2519.
    - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.08”
      
      FLAMITS record 2520.
    - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.06”
      
      FLAMITS record 2521.
    - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.08”
      
      FLAMITS record 2522.
    - “maximum sample temperature (°C): 927”
      
      FLAMITS record 2529.
    - “maximum sample temperature (°C): 909”
      
      FLAMITS record 2530.
    - “maximum sample temperature (°C): 898”
      
      FLAMITS record 2531.
    - “maximum sample temperature (°C): 943”
      
      FLAMITS record 2532.
    - “maximum sample temperature (°C): 909”
      
      FLAMITS record 2533.
    - “maximum sample temperature (°C): 958”
      
      FLAMITS record 2534.
  - Shared measurement context: Sustainability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device calorimeter.
    - “flaming duration (s): 160”
      
      FLAMITS record 2463.
    - “flaming duration (s): 105”
      
      FLAMITS record 2464.
    - “flaming duration (s): 159”
      
      FLAMITS record 2465.
    - “flaming duration (s): 121”
      
      FLAMITS record 2466.
    - “flaming duration (s): 129”
      
      FLAMITS record 2467.
    - “flaming duration (s): 98”
      
      FLAMITS record 2468.
    - “flaming duration (s): 111”
      
      FLAMITS record 2505.
    - “flaming duration (s): 83”
      
      FLAMITS record 2506.
    - “flaming duration (s): 116”
      
      FLAMITS record 2507.
    - “flaming duration (s): 102”
      
      FLAMITS record 2508.
    - “flaming duration (s): 122”
      
      FLAMITS record 2509.
    - “flaming duration (s): 92”
      
      FLAMITS record 2510.
  - Shared measurement context: Consumability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device calorimeter.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 93.8”
      
      FLAMITS record 2475.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 96.5”
      
      FLAMITS record 2476.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 93.6”
      
      FLAMITS record 2477.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 95.3”
      
      FLAMITS record 2478.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 93.2”
      
      FLAMITS record 2479.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 94.3”
      
      FLAMITS record 2480.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 90.5”
      
      FLAMITS record 2523.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 93”
      
      FLAMITS record 2524.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 89”
      
      FLAMITS record 2525.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 89.7”
      
      FLAMITS record 2526.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 88”
      
      FLAMITS record 2527.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 88”
      
      FLAMITS record 2528.
  - Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying yes; device calorimeter.
    - “energy flux (kW/m²): 106”
      
      FLAMITS record 2499.
    - “energy flux (kW/m²): 145”
      
      FLAMITS record 2500.
    - “energy flux (kW/m²): 90”
      
      FLAMITS record 2501.
    - “energy flux (kW/m²): 109”
      
      FLAMITS record 2502.
    - “energy flux (kW/m²): 88”
      
      FLAMITS record 2503.
    - “energy flux (kW/m²): 113”
      
      FLAMITS record 2504.
    - “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 178”
      
      FLAMITS record 2564.
    - “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 252”
      
      FLAMITS record 2565.
    - “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 159”
      
      FLAMITS record 2566.
    - “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 199”
      
      FLAMITS record 2567.
    - “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 153”
      
      FLAMITS record 2568.
    - “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 181”
      
      FLAMITS record 2569.
    - “energy flux (kW/m²): 72”
      
      FLAMITS record 2570.
    - “energy flux (kW/m²): 118”
      
      FLAMITS record 2571.
    - “energy flux (kW/m²): 63”
      
      FLAMITS record 2572.
    - “energy flux (kW/m²): 103”
      
      FLAMITS record 2573.
    - “energy flux (kW/m²): 81”
      
      FLAMITS record 2574.
    - “energy flux (kW/m²): 99”
      
      FLAMITS record 2575.
  - Shared measurement context: Ignitability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device epiradiator.
    - “time to flaming (s): 117”
      
      FLAMITS record 2535.
    - “time to flaming (s): 37”
      
      FLAMITS record 2536.
    - “ignition frequency (%): 11.5”
      
      FLAMITS record 2537.
    - “ignition frequency (%): 50”
      
      FLAMITS record 2538.
    - “time to flaming (s): 41”
      
      FLAMITS record 2545.
    - “time to flaming (s): 16”
      
      FLAMITS record 2546.
    - “ignition frequency (%): 44”
      
      FLAMITS record 2547.
    - “ignition frequency (%): 42.5”
      
      FLAMITS record 2548.
    - “time to flaming (s): 25”
      
      FLAMITS record 2555.
    - “time to flaming (s): 27”
      
      FLAMITS record 2556.
    - “ignition frequency (%): 50”
      
      FLAMITS record 2557.
  - Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device epiradiator.
    - “flame height (cm): 6”
      
      FLAMITS record 2539.
    - “flame height (cm): 16”
      
      FLAMITS record 2540.
    - “flame height (cm): 10”
      
      FLAMITS record 2549.
    - “flame height (cm): 14”
      
      FLAMITS record 2550.
    - “flame height (cm): 9”
      
      FLAMITS record 2558.
    - “flame height (cm): 10”
      
      FLAMITS record 2559.
  - Shared measurement context: Sustainability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device epiradiator.
    - “flaming duration (s): 11”
      
      FLAMITS record 2541.
    - “flaming duration (s): 9”
      
      FLAMITS record 2542.
    - “flaming duration (s): 12”
      
      FLAMITS record 2551.
    - “flaming duration (s): 18”
      
      FLAMITS record 2552.
    - “flaming duration (s): 15”
      
      FLAMITS record 2560.
    - “flaming duration (s): 19”
      
      FLAMITS record 2561.
  - Shared measurement context: Consumability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device epiradiator.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 96.9”
      
      FLAMITS record 2543.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 96.6”
      
      FLAMITS record 2544.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 92”
      
      FLAMITS record 2553.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 91.6”
      
      FLAMITS record 2554.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 96.5”
      
      FLAMITS record 2562.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 97.9”
      
      FLAMITS record 2563.
- Primary study Guney2022: Güney, C. O., Sar?, A., Cekim, H. O., Küçüksille, E. U., ?entürk, Ö., Gülsoy, S., & Özkan, K. (2022). An advanced approach for leaf flammability index estimation. International journal of wildland fire, 31, 277-290.
  
  Shared row context: plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device calorimeter; site Guney2022-1; sampling may and september 2017.
  - Shared measurement context: Ignitability measurement.
    - “temperature at flaming (°C): 315.3”
      
      FLAMITS record 16630.
    - “time to flaming (s): 27.5”
      
      FLAMITS record 16631.
  - “flame height (cm): 56.4”
    
    FLAMITS record 16632; Combustibility measurement.
  - “burning duration (s): 16.5”
    
    FLAMITS record 16633; Sustainability measurement.
  - “burnt biomass (%): 10.2”
    
    FLAMITS record 16634; Consumability measurement.
- Primary study DellaRocca2018: Della Rocca, G., Danti, R., Hernando, C., Guijarro, M., & Madrigal, J. (2018). Flammability of Two Mediterranean Mixed Forests: Study of the Non-additive Effect of Fuel Mixtures in Laboratory. Frontiers in Plant Science, 9, 825.
  
  Shared row context: fuel live; predrying no; device calorimeter; site DellaRocca2018-1; sampling september.
  - “time to flaming (s): 77.3”
    
    FLAMITS record 2576; Ignitability measurement; plant part twigs.
  - Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; plant part twigs.
    - “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 237.7”
      
      FLAMITS record 2577.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 4729.14”
      
      FLAMITS record 2578.
    - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.08”
      
      FLAMITS record 2579.
  - “burnt biomass (%): 89.3”
    
    FLAMITS record 2580; Consumability measurement; plant part twigs.
  - “time to flaming (s): 12”
    
    FLAMITS record 2596; Ignitability measurement; plant part litter.
  - Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; plant part litter.
    - “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 257.7”
      
      FLAMITS record 2597.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 5326.26”
      
      FLAMITS record 2598.
    - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.07”
      
      FLAMITS record 2599.
  - “burnt biomass (%): 82.2”
    
    FLAMITS record 2600; Consumability measurement; plant part litter.
  - “time to flaming (s): 53.8”
    
    FLAMITS record 2616; Ignitability measurement; plant part bark.
  - “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 34.8”
    
    FLAMITS record 2617; Combustibility measurement; plant part bark.
  - “flaming duration (s): 521”
    
    FLAMITS record 2618; Sustainability measurement; plant part bark.
- Primary study Dimitrakopoulos2001: Dimitrakopoulos, A. P., & Panov, P. I. (2001). Pyric properties of some dominant Mediterranean vegetation species. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 10, 23-27.
  
  Shared row context: Combustibility measurement; fuel dead; predrying no; device calorimeter; site Dimitrakopoulos2001-1; sampling december.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 5016.73”
    
    FLAMITS record 2957; plant part leaves.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 4507.64”
    
    FLAMITS record 2973; plant part stems.
- Primary study Dimitrakopoulos2011: Dimitrakopoulos, A. P., Mitsopoulos, I. D., & Kaliva, A. (2011). Short communication. Comparing flammability traits among fire-stricken (low elevation) and non fire- stricken (high elevation) conifer forest species of Europe: a test of the Mutch hypothesis. Forest Systems, 22, 134-137.
  
  Shared row context: plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device calorimeter; site Dimitrakopoulos2011-1; sampling summer.
  - Shared measurement context: Ignitability measurement.
    - “time to flaming (s): 33.84”
      
      FLAMITS record 2981.
    - “temperature at flaming (°C): 234.75”
      
      FLAMITS record 3001.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 4389.34”
    
    FLAMITS record 2991; Combustibility measurement.
- Primary study Ganteaume2012: Ganteaume, A., Jappiot, M., & Lampin, C. (2012). Assessing the flammability of surface fuels beneath ornamental vegetation in wildlandurban interfaces in Provence (south-eastern France). International Journal of Wildland Fire, 22, 333.
  
  Shared row context: plant part litter; fuel all; predrying yes; device burning bench; site Ganteaume2012-1; sampling summer.
  - Shared measurement context: Ignitability measurement.
    - “time to flaming (s): 92”
      
      FLAMITS record 3608.
    - “ignition frequency (%): 45”
      
      FLAMITS record 3622.
  - “flaming duration (s): 148”
    
    FLAMITS record 3615; Sustainability measurement.
- Primary study Ganteaume2013: Ganteaume, A., Jappiot, M., Lampin, C., Guijarro, M., & Hernando, C. (2013). Flammability of some ornamental species in wildland-urban interfaces in southeastern France: laboratory assessment at particle level. Environmental Management, 52, 467-80.
  
  Shared row context: plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device epiradiator; site Ganteaume2013-1; sampling summer.
  - Shared measurement context: Ignitability measurement.
    - “time to flaming (s): 35.55”
      
      FLAMITS record 3628.
    - “time to flaming (s): 2.58”
      
      FLAMITS record 3629.
    - “ignition frequency (%): 47”
      
      FLAMITS record 3644.
    - “ignition frequency (%): 50”
      
      FLAMITS record 3645.
  - Shared measurement context: Sustainability measurement.
    - “flaming duration (s): 6.51”
      
      FLAMITS record 3636.
    - “flaming duration (s): 15.52”
      
      FLAMITS record 3637.
- Primary study Ganteaume2018: Ganteaume, A. (2018). Does plant flammability differ between leaf and litter bed scale? Role of fuel characteristics and consequences for flammability assessment. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 27, 342-352.
  
  Shared row context: plant part leaves; device epiradiator; site Ganteaume2018-1; sampling summer.
  - Shared measurement context: Ignitability measurement; fuel all; predrying yes.
    - “time to flaming (s): 92.12”
      
      FLAMITS record 3655.
    - “ignition frequency (%): 45”
      
      FLAMITS record 3685.
  - “flaming duration (s): 147.91”
    
    FLAMITS record 3670; Sustainability measurement; fuel all; predrying yes.
  - “flame propagation: 2.36”
    
    FLAMITS record 3700; Combustibility measurement; fuel all; predrying yes.
  - Shared measurement context: Ignitability measurement; fuel live; predrying no.
    - “time to flaming (s): 35.55”
      
      FLAMITS record 3715.
    - “ignition frequency (%): 47”
      
      FLAMITS record 3745.
  - “flaming duration (s): 6.51”
    
    FLAMITS record 3730; Sustainability measurement; fuel live; predrying no.
- Primary study Ganteaume2021a: Ganteaume, A., Romero, B., Fernandez, C., Ormeño, E., & Lecareux, C. (2021). Volatile and semi-volatile terpenes impact leaf flammability: differences according to the level of terpene identification. Chemoecology, 31, 259-275.
  
  Shared row context: plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device epiradiator; site Ganteaume2021a-1; sampling january to februaty and april to may.
  - Shared measurement context: Ignitability measurement.
    - “time to flaming (s): 21.64”
      
      FLAMITS record 3758.
    - “temperature at flaming (°C): 329.25”
      
      FLAMITS record 3770.
  - “maximum flame temperature (°C): 482.12”
    
    FLAMITS record 3762; Combustibility measurement.
  - “flaming duration (s): 10.27”
    
    FLAMITS record 3766; Sustainability measurement.
- Primary study Ganteaume2021b: Ganteaume, A., Romero, B., Ormeño, E., Lecareux, C., & Fernandez, C. (2021). Does Seasonality of Leaf Terpene Content and Moisture Content Trigger Leaf Flammability Seasonal Variation? in review, preprint.
  
  Shared row context: plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device epiradiator; site Ganteaume2021b-1.
  - “time to flaming (s): 25.83”
    
    FLAMITS record 3779; Ignitability measurement; sampling winter.
  - “time to flaming (s): 19.79”
    
    FLAMITS record 3780; Ignitability measurement; sampling spring.
  - “time to flaming (s): 25.5”
    
    FLAMITS record 3781; Ignitability measurement; sampling summer.
  - “maximum flame temperature (°C): 461.53”
    
    FLAMITS record 3791; Combustibility measurement; sampling winter.
  - “maximum flame temperature (°C): 530.34”
    
    FLAMITS record 3792; Combustibility measurement; sampling spring.
  - “maximum flame temperature (°C): 423.5”
    
    FLAMITS record 3793; Combustibility measurement; sampling summer.
  - “flaming duration (s): 10.89”
    
    FLAMITS record 3803; Sustainability measurement; sampling winter.
  - “flaming duration (s): 10.6”
    
    FLAMITS record 3804; Sustainability measurement; sampling spring.
  - “flaming duration (s): 10.58”
    
    FLAMITS record 3805; Sustainability measurement; sampling summer.
- Primary study Hachmi2011: Hachmi, M. H., Sesbou, A., Benjelloun, H., El Handouz, N., & Bouanane, F. (2011). A Simple Technique to Estimate the Flammability Index of Moroccan Forest Fuels. Journal of Combustion, 2011, 1-11.
  
  Shared row context: plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying no; device epiradiator; site Hachmi2011-1; sampling ND.
  - “time to flaming (s): 6.9”
    
    FLAMITS record 4705; Ignitability measurement.
  - “flame height (cm): 12”
    
    FLAMITS record 4745; Combustibility measurement.
  - “burning duration (s): 15.6”
    
    FLAMITS record 4746; Sustainability measurement.
- Primary study Liodakis2002: Liodakis, S., Bakirtzis, D., & Lois, E. (2002). TG and autoignition studies on forest fuels. Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 69, 519-528.
  
  Shared row context: plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying yes; site Liodakis2002-2; sampling january.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 4672.08”
    
    FLAMITS record 6553; Combustibility measurement; device calorimeter.
  - Shared measurement context: Ignitability measurement; device muffle furnace.
    - “time to flaming (s): 55”
      
      FLAMITS record 6590.
    - “time to flaming (s): 43”
      
      FLAMITS record 6591.
    - “time to flaming (s): 36”
      
      FLAMITS record 6592.
    - “time to flaming (s): 36”
      
      FLAMITS record 6593.
    - “time to flaming (s): 27”
      
      FLAMITS record 6594.
    - “time to flaming (s): 24”
      
      FLAMITS record 6595.
    - “time to flaming (s): 18”
      
      FLAMITS record 6596.
    - “time to flaming (s): 12”
      
      FLAMITS record 6597.
    - “time to flaming (s): 15”
      
      FLAMITS record 6598.
    - “time to flaming (s): 13”
      
      FLAMITS record 6599.
    - “time to flaming (s): 11”
      
      FLAMITS record 6600.
    - “time to flaming (s): 10”
      
      FLAMITS record 6601.
    - “time to flaming (s): 7.5”
      
      FLAMITS record 6602.
  - Shared measurement context: Consumability measurement; device thermal analyzer.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 72.39”
      
      FLAMITS record 6665.
    - “burnt biomass (%): 72.03”
      
      FLAMITS record 6673.
- Primary study Liodakis2005: Liodakis, S., Vorisis, D., & Agiovlasitis, I. (2005). A method for measuring the relative particle fire hazard properties of forest species. Thermochimica Acta, 437, 150-157.
  
  Shared row context: plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying yes; site Liodakis2005-1; sampling ND.
  - “maximum sample temperature (°C): 481”
    
    FLAMITS record 6678; Combustibility measurement; device muffle furnace.
  - Shared measurement context: Ignitability measurement; device muffle furnace.
    - “temperature at flaming (°C): 231”
      
      FLAMITS record 6684.
    - “time to flaming (s): 25380”
      
      FLAMITS record 6696.
  - “burning duration (s): 2448”
    
    FLAMITS record 6690; Sustainability measurement; device muffle furnace.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 5108.98”
    
    FLAMITS record 6702; Combustibility measurement; device calorimeter.
- Primary study Molina2017: Molina, J. R., Martín, T., Rodríguez Y Silva, F., & Herrera, M. Á. (2017). The ignition index based on flammability of vegetation improves planning in the wildland-urban interface: A case study in Southern Spain. Landscape and Urban Planning, 158, 129-138.
  
  Shared row context: plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device epiradiator; site Molina2017-1; sampling summer.
  - Shared measurement context: Ignitability measurement.
    - “time to flaming (s): 13.32”
      
      FLAMITS record 9295.
    - “flammability value: 4”
      
      FLAMITS record 9331.
  - “flaming duration (s): 10.58”
    
    FLAMITS record 9313; Sustainability measurement.
- Primary study Petriccione2006: Petriccione, M. (2006). Infiammabilità della lettiera di diverse specie vegetali di ambiente mediterráneo. Tesi Di Dottorato. Università Degli Studi Di Napoli Federico II.
  
  Shared row context: plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device epiradiator; site Petriccione2006-1; sampling may to june.
  - Shared measurement context: Ignitability measurement.
    - “time to flaming (s): 35.19”
      
      FLAMITS record 10489.
    - “ignition frequency (%): 21”
      
      FLAMITS record 10491.
    - “flammability value: 0”
      
      FLAMITS record 10492.
  - “burning duration (s): 7.38”
    
    FLAMITS record 10490; Sustainability measurement.
- Primary study Romero2019: Romero, B., Fernandez, C., Lecareux, C., Ormeño, E., & Ganteaume, A. (2019). How terpene content affects fuel flammability of wildlandurban interface vegetation. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 28, 614.
  
  Shared row context: device epiradiator; site Romero2019-1; sampling july.
  - Shared measurement context: Ignitability measurement; plant part litter; fuel dead; predrying yes.
    - “time to flaming (s): 3.3”
      
      FLAMITS record 11330.
    - “temperature at flaming (°C): 335.1”
      
      FLAMITS record 11348.
    - “flammability value: 100”
      
      FLAMITS record 11354.
  - “maximum flame temperature (°C): 551.7”
    
    FLAMITS record 11336; Combustibility measurement; plant part litter; fuel dead; predrying yes.
  - “flaming duration (s): 21”
    
    FLAMITS record 11342; Sustainability measurement; plant part litter; fuel dead; predrying yes.
  - Shared measurement context: Ignitability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no.
    - “time to flaming (s): 26.3”
      
      FLAMITS record 11360.
    - “temperature at flaming (°C): 334.4”
      
      FLAMITS record 11382.
    - “flammability value: 81”
      
      FLAMITS record 11389.
  - “maximum flame temperature (°C): 128.4”
    
    FLAMITS record 11367; Combustibility measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no.
  - “flaming duration (s): 10.6”
    
    FLAMITS record 11374; Sustainability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no.
- Primary study Terrei2019: Terrei, L., Lamorlette, A., & Ganteaume, A. (2019). Modelling the fire propagation from the fuel bed to the lower canopy of ornamental species used in wildlandurban interfaces. International journal of wildland fire, 28, 113-126.
  
  Shared row context: plant part branches; fuel live; predrying no; device burning bench; site Terrei2019-1; sampling april to june.
  - Shared measurement context: Ignitability measurement.
    - “time to flaming (s): 30”
      
      FLAMITS record 13011.
    - “temperature at flaming (°C): 248.8”
      
      FLAMITS record 13015.
  - Shared measurement context: Sustainability measurement.
    - “flaming duration (s): 33”
      
      FLAMITS record 13019.
    - “rate of burning spread (cm/s): 0.67”
      
      FLAMITS record 13031.
  - Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement.
    - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.37”
      
      FLAMITS record 13023.
    - “maximum flame temperature (°C): 587”
      
      FLAMITS record 13027.
- Primary study Valette1990: Valette, J.-C. (1990). Flammabilities of Mediterranean forest species. Effects on the combustibility of the forest communities inflammabilités des espèces forestières méditerranéennes. Conséquences sur la combustibilité des formations forestières. Revue forestière française, 42, 76-92.
  
  Shared row context: Ignitability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device epiradiator; site Valette1990-1; sampling june to september.
  - “flammability value: 1”
    
    FLAMITS record 13343.
  - “flammability value: 3”
    
    FLAMITS record 13344.

Fire-resistant trees instead

post oak
Quercus stellata

northern red oak
Quercus rubra

Gambel oak
Quercus gambelii

American basswood
Tilia americana

oak
Quercus spp.

Dahurian larch
Larix gmelinii

Fire-resistant trees listed above

Guides that discuss this plant

Cupressus or Hesperocyparis

Last verified 2026-08-23. JSON (CC BY 4.0)

Profiles: USDA PLANTS · GBIF · iNaturalist · Wikidata · Wikipedia · ITIS

Cupressus sempervirens and related cypress (Italian cypress, Leyland cypress). FireApproved. https://fireapproved.com/plants/cupressus-sempervirens/. Last verified 2026-08-23.

1. Fire evidence and conditions

2. Why this plant is relevant here

3. Legal, ecological, and broader status

Plant hardiness evidence

Conditions in the fire evidence

Where its sources say to plant it

The evidence

Recommends (1)

Avoids (7)

Mid-scale / conditional (1)

Related plants

Fire-resistant trees instead

Guides that discuss this plant