Are you sure it's not a grafted tree - so many of the 'weeping' ones are these days, but if you know it grows in the mountains, then maybe not. Have you Googled it (and ticked 'Images') to see if it's listed and what the Latin name might be? Another thought, some 'cypresses' are actually other genuses, but a true cypress would be called Cupressus....(whatever the variety is). Try Googling Cupressus pendula(means weeping or hanging) and see what comes up.

I know of weeping bald cypress and weeping Montezuma cypress (Taxodium distichum and Taxodium mucronatum), but I would not think they would be in true mountainous environments. T. mucronatum is evergreen where it doesn't freeze.

Check out this one (link, below). It is very common and the parent species (Rocky Mountain juniper) is native to a large part of western North America. This could work for you as it is tree that is hardy to USDA 5 (and colder) and is frequent in nurseries, and might look just like what he saw - or even be what he saw.

Here is a link that might be useful: Monrovia - TOLLESON`S BLUE WEEPING JUNIPER

Weeping Cypress is Cupressus cashmeriana, which is grown in California and probably what you saw 'out west'. Not hardy in zone 5, though.

For a somewhat similar substitute, try the weeping form of Nootka Cypress Cupressus nootkatensis 'Pendula', or as bboy suggested, Juniperus scopulorum 'Tolleson's Weeping'.

Resin

Picea breweriana (Brewer's Spruce or Weeping Spruce) is a rare weeping tree from the west, but I doubt it is what your husband is talking about. Still, its a possibility, and here is a picture just in case.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:331711}}

>Weeping Cypress is Cupressus cashmeriana, which is grown in California and probably what you saw 'out west'I doubt he saw that "a lot".

"I doubt he saw that "a lot""

That's true - OK, probably Nootka Cypress, then, particularly if it was in the PNW.

Resin

Another thought - it doesn't weep much, but can be a bit drooping, and is generally more abundant than Nootka - Western Redcedar Thuja plicata

Resin

Thanks for all the information. I found out more information. I was mistaken when I said it was in the mountains. He told me he saw it most in Washington state and even found a tree in a park in Kalamazoo Michigan. It had the name of the tree on it but since he had to give up trucking 7 years ago, he forgot the name. I know if it grows in Kzoo it will grow in our area of SE Michigan.

Internet will have many photos of kinds suggested so far, that you can show him. There's a pretty good picture of the juniper at the link I posted.

Does anyone know what type of threadleaf false cypress has a four foot'ish, branch free, slightly curved trunk? This tree looks like a golden threadleaf false cypress shrub on top of a trunk? The only other difference I can see is that my neighbours is not yellow, it is a beautiful shade of a mossy green. The trunk is about 8-10 inches in diameter and the total height of the tree is 8-10 feet with the trunk making up half of it.If anyone has an idea please post pictures or links with pictures if possible. I cannot find any pictures of one with an exposed trunk. I may not have the right name but the foliage is very thread/mop-like and almost looks bushy on top of the trunk.

Thanks everyone.

Most likely just has an exposed trunk as a result of past pruning, or by lower branches being killed off by being swamped by weeds in the past.

Resin

Thanks for the info, is there any other kind of trees that have mop/string like foliage? I have been looking online for hours and can't find much else and nothing pruned or trimmed to look like the one my neighbour has(they have had it on their yard for 30 years and have never trimmed it other than the top part-there hasn't been any lower branches since they lived there- they do not know anything about the tree unfortunatley) Thanks again

I imagine it's this:

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/westernclassic/IMG_0899.jpg

{{gwi:331746}}

at the gardens at LIMN Furniture in San Francisco www.limn.com

or:

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/westernclassic/IMG_0189.jpg

{{gwi:331747}}

which is CEDRUS DEODARA, an incredibly beautiful CEDAR specimen, which is often almost white in color. it can grow huge, or dwarfed in a pot.

Hope this helps!

I agree that it's probably an alaska nootka cypress.