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Gowen cypress

Gowen cypress

9.1
A small tree or shrub that keeps its leaves all year and is often grown in California gardens
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : ciprés de Gowen
  • The Gowen cypress is prized for its attractive foliage in California gardens.

Examples

  • Wild populations of Gowen cypress are now quite rare and protected.

  • The Gowen cypress thrives in coastal California.

  • Botanists study how soil conditions affect the growth of Gowen cypress.

  • Many gardeners love the Gowen cypress for its unique shape.

  • The Gowen cypress is a beautiful addition to any California garden with its lush, green foliage.

  • Many gardeners appreciate the unique shape of the Gowen cypress when designing their landscapes.

  • Due to its rarity, the Gowen cypress is often protected in national parks throughout California.

Synonyms

Cupressus goveniana
vsGowen cypress
  • Specialized
9.9

A small, sometimes shrubby cypress tree from California grown for its looks

is the same tree but shows a botanical label in parentheses
Cupressus pigmaea
vsGowen cypress
  • Specialized
9.9

A rare small cypress tree that grows on the northern California coast

is the broader Californian species often including that rare northern form
pygmy cypress
vsGowen cypress
  • US
9.9

A rare small cypress tree that grows only a few feet tall in northern California

is the wider species name covering multiple regional forms in California
Cupressus goveniana pigmaea
vsGowen cypress
  • Specialized
9.9

A rare small cypress tree that grows in northern California

is the wider species covering more forms rather than one narrow variety

Surface Forms

Gowen cypress singular

Morphology

Gowen + cypress

The headword 'cypress' clearly signals that this is a type of evergreen tree, so a B1 learner who knows that word will grasp the general category. However, 'Gowen' is a proper name with no semantic contribution a learner can interpret, so the exact identity and specific properties of the tree are not derivable, making the phrase only partially predictable.

Etymology

Gowen cypress may come from a person named Gowen who studied or planted trees in California, plus cypress, the type of evergreen tree. So the name tells us it is a particular 'tree' connected to that person and helps us remember it is a kind of cypress used in gardens.