Species of Cypress

[Carolina Kiltman]

I need some help here. My clan, (MacLaine of Lochbuie) badge has a battleaxe and two crossed branches. The one on the left is a bayberry, the on on the right is a cypress. Can anyone tell me what the species/subspecies of cypress it represents?

I am only familiar with the bald cypress native to the Carolinas, and the more recent "import" the Leyland cypress. The "foilaiage" to the two do not look even remotely alike (other than they are both green). Can any of the botanists out there help me out?

I am making a large clan badge for our tent(s) and would like it to be as accurate as possible in the representation.

[JSFMACLJR]

I need some help here. My clan, (MacLaine of Lochbuie) badge has a battleaxe and two crossed branches. The one on the left is a bayberry, the on on the right is a cypress. Can anyone tell me what the species/subspecies of cypress it represents?

I am only familiar with the bald cypress native to the Carolinas, and the more recent "import" the Leyland cypress. The "foilaiage" to the two do not look even remotely alike (other than they are both green). Can any of the botanists out there help me out?

I am making a large clan badge for our tent(s) and would like it to be as accurate as possible in the representation.

Lochbuie's crest is not bayberry, rather it is laurel (laurus nobilis)...quite a difference.

Both the branch of cypress and the branch of laurel have nothing to do with the plant badges of the clan, so don't confuse the two.

As to what type of cypress it represents, it of the genus cupressus. Bald cypress, of course is taxodium. Leyland cypress is closer to the cypress represented in heraldry. In heraldry, unless the blazon (description) specifies the type of plant call for, a "generic" artist's variety of cypress may be used. I am not aware of a specific form of cypress for any of the crests belonging to MacLeans (my g-g-g grandfather's crest was "a Lochaber axe erect in pale between a branch of laurel and a branch of cypress all proper." Scottish Heraldic devices do not necessarily have to be "Scottish." I would guess that the cypress called for is a Mediterranean form of the plant, used by the Crusaders.

[Carolina Kiltman]

Thank you, that explains a lot. by bayberrry, I should have written bay berry, which is a common name for the fruit of the laurel (bay tree) prevalant in this area (SE N. Carolina) .

I did check and the bayberry wax used in candles is something entirely different, hence my confusion. You do describe the clan badge of the Maclaines of Lochbuie, but the motto on our cap badges is VINCERE VEL MORI. As far as getting the clan plant mixed up, that is the blaeberry, or as I understand it, the wild blueberry.

Thanks again for the information. I am no expert on heraldry nor botany either for that matter. I do like growing roses, however.

[MacLowlife]

And apparently, some very nice camellia japonicas, eh?

[Carolina Kiltman]

My garden/yard, is really quite small, so I let my neighbors grow the camellias. The biggest problem is that the ancestors of some roses are from Persia, and we do not have a desert climate here. So blackspot is a major problem. But I think the effort worth it. Here in the sandhills there is a joke: You know it is August when you see the robbins using hot-holders to pull the worms out of the ground.

[Bugbear]

I considered trying to grow camellias; then decided it is not worth the trouble.

[m3fenton]

It is indeed an interesting combination..