The tree is a perennial tree, conical-shaped, about 28 meters (80 feet) high and originated from the East, now mostly found in gardens and cemeteries in the Mediterranean region. It is an evergreen tree with dark green foliage, small flowers and round brown-gray cones with seed nuts inside. The wood is hard and durable, red-yellow in color. The Phoenicians and Cretans used the wood for building ships and houses, while the Egyptians made sarcophagi from it and the Greeks used it to carve statues of their gods. The Greek word ‘Sempervirens’, from which the botanical name is derived, means ‘lives forever’ and the tree also gave its name to the island of Cypress, where it used to be worshipped. The legend says the cross of Jesus had been made of cypress wood and the tree generally seems to be associated with death.

Cypress oil is extracted from the needles and twigs of young branches by steam distillation and yields 1.3 – 1.5 %.

The therapeutic properties of cypress essential oil are astringent, antiseptic, antispasmodic, deodorant, diuretic, haemostatic, hepatic, styptic, sudorific, vasoconstrictor, respiratory tonic and sedative.

The main components of cypress oil are a-pinene, camphene, sabinene, b-pinene, d-3carene, myrcene, a-terpinene, terpinolene, linalool, bornyl acetate, cedrol and cadinene.

Cypress essential oil has a calming and soothing effect on the irritable, angry and stressed-out person and has a valuable effect as a vasoconstrictor on varicose veins and hemorrhoids. It is beneficial in conditions of excess fluid, such as bleeding, nosebleeds, heavy menstruation, heavy perspiration, cough and bronchitis, hemorrhages and fluid retention. The antispasmodic action is very useful for asthma, whooping cough, bronchitis, emphysema and influenza. Furthermore, cypress oil soothes muscular cramps, helps to regulate the menstrual cycle, helps to ease arthritis and rheumatic pain and it is also beneficial to oily as well as congested skin and wounds.

It is useful in vapor therapy for all breathing difficulty, such as asthma, emphysema, whooping cough and bronchitis. It also helps to calm the mind and dispel anger.

Cypress essential oil can be used as a massage oil or diluted in the bath for arthritis, asthma, cellulite, cramps, diarrhea, sweaty feet, rheumatism, varicose veins, heavy menstruation and menopause.

In a cream base, Cypress essential oil can be used for varicose and broken veins, as well as clearing an oily and congested skin.

Used diluted on a cold compress, it is very effective for a nosebleed.

If it is added to a foot bath, it will help control perspiration with its astringent and deodorant properties.

Although most essential oils blend well together, cypress oil blends particularly well with Bergamot, Clary Sage, Lavender, Juniper berry, Pine, Marjoram, Sandalwood (Mysore), Rosemary, Frankincense and all the citrus oils.