Ancient cypress tree in the mountains  - 29th June 2006

Cypresses (Cuperus sempervirens) are my favourite Cretan trees. The higher up they grow the more spectacular they get. The one above is located near the tree line (at around 1700m). At this altitude this slow growing tree grows even slower and only stunted specimen can resist the wind, the cold and the snow. They resemble giant bonsais and can be well over a thousand year old.

They get so old that - at least to my mind - they sometimes start reverting to a mineral form where the trunk becomes almost indistinguishable from the surrounding rock.

You can click on the picture to enlarge.