Scientific name: Cupressus sempervirens
Origin: Mediterranean region
Other names: Mediterranean Cypress, Italian Cypress, Ciprés
Average density: 33lbs/ft3 – 535kg/m3
Uses: Flamenco guitar back and sides
The heartwood is a pale yellowish or reddish brown and the narrow sapwood is paler and usually clearly demarcated from the heartwood. Its grain is usually straight, though small knots are sometimes present, creating a more irregular grain pattern. Fine, uniform texture with a good natural luster. Easy to work with hand and machine tools. Glues, stains, finishes well and it has a distinct, pleasant and fragrant scent. Mediterranean Cypress is a long-lived tree with a lifespan over 1,000 years; one specimen in Iran is estimated to be roughly 4,000 years old. The combination of Cypress back and sides with a thinner top, makes flamenco guitars lighter than classical guitars, which produces the bright and percussive sound quality favored by the flamenco players.