Abstract Volatile compounds from Cupressus macrocarpa Hartw., C. arizonica Greene and C. torulosa Don. leaves collected in the Argentinian Patagonia were isolated by steam distillation yielding 0.78%, 1.01% and 0.61% of essential oils, respectively. Leaf oils were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The main constituents of each oil were: (i) C. macrocarpa oil: α-pinene (20.2%), sabinene (12.0%), p-cymene (7.0%) and terpinen-4-ol (29.6%); (ii) C. arizonica oil: α-pinene (22.9%), limonene (8.5%), umbellulone (16.5%), terpinen-4-ol (5.5%) and cis-muurola-4(14), 5-diene (90%); and (iii) C. torulosa oil: α-thujene (4.2%), α-pinene (25.8%), sabinene (22.3%), myrcene (4.7%) and terpinen-4-ol (9.3%).