It improves water quality while providing flood control in wet areas. You don’t have to live in the Everglades to start bald cypress growing, however. Unlike most cone-bearing trees, bald-cypress loses its needles each winter and grows a new set in spring. It rarely produces knees. Narrowly to broadly pyramidal when young, baldcypress, the state tree of Louisiana, eventually develops into a broad-topped, spreading, open specimen when mature. This species has been known to tolerate flooded conditions for extended periods of time. Although it looks like a needled evergreen (same family as redwoods) in summer, it is deciduous ("bald" as the common name suggests). Although it is native to wetlands along running streams, growth is often faster on moist, well-drained soi… It prefers moist, acidic, sandy soils, but tolerates a wide range of soil conditions ranging from somewhat dry soils to wet soils in standing water. 1/4 to 3/4" long, flat needles in two ranks on each branchlet. Bald cypress, (Taxodium distichum), also called swamp cypress, ornamental and timber conifer (family Cupressaceae) native to swampy areas of southern North America. Corrections? The bald cypress is the best known of the three species of Taxodium, and the one which has been most often planted. Taxodium distichum: Baldcypress 2 General Information Scientific name: Taxodium distichum Pronunciation: tack-SO-dee-um DISS-tick-um Common name(s): Baldcypress Family: Cupressaceae USDA hardiness zones: 5A through 10B (Figure 2) Origin: native to the southeastern United States, in addi- tion to east Texas and Atlantic costal states as far north as The closely related Montezuma, or Mexican, cypress (T. mucronatum) is native to the southwestern U.S., Mexico, and Guatemala. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. ... Cypress knees do not generally form on these drier sites. Leaf tips are first to discolor and, as stress intensifies, the yellow and orange color reaches across over one-half the leaf … Trunks are flared or fluted (buttressed) at the base. mexicanum) is native to Mexico. Repeated exposure to heat and dry soil will cause individual leaves to begin to yellow and then turn rusty orange. The needles are arranged spirally around a leaf stem, but are twisted and thus appear flat. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... …structures are the “knees” of bald cypresses (. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The Characteristics of Bald Cypress. Updates? The wood of the bald cypress is valued for its water-resistance and is known as pecky, or peggy, cypress in the lumber trade when it contains small, attactive holes caused by a fungus. Leaf blade length: ½ - ¾ inch. It is native to southern swamps, bayous and rivers, primarily being found in coastal areas from Maryland to Texas and in the lower Mississippi River valley to as far north as the southeast corner of Missouri. Bald Cypress leaf detail from early April 2020 The 45 gallon Bald Cypress and the "Bracken Brown Beauty" Southern Magnolia were the first trees we purchased, from Big Tex Trees, in March 2012. It typically grows to heights of 35–120 feet (10–40 m) and has a trunk diameter of 3–6 feet (0.9–1.8 m). The sapwood is cream-colored while the heartwood is brown. Cities from Charlotte, NC, Dallas, TX to Tampa, FL currently use it as a street tree and it should be used more extensively throughout its range in urban landscapes. In the deep South, it is a familiar sight growing directly in swampy water, often in large stands, with its branches heavily draped with Spanish moss. Taxodium distichum is a large, slow-growing, and long-lived tree. The reddish brown bark weathers to an ashy gray. Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Twig blight is an occasional disease pest. Leaf Discoloration. Leaf color: green. Bald cypress trees are native to the swampy marshes of Florida. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The presumed function of the knees is still poorly understood; they may help oxygenate the roots or provide support in the soft muddy soil. The trees are deciduous, though the leaves can persist year-round in warm climates. Before planting a bald cypress tree, note that the trees only thrive in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 9. The towering bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) is a common sight on Southern waterways, but it's also well-suited to California climes and is often grown as an ornamental. The wood is used for construction, flooring, cabinetry, and fences. Although many conifers are evergreen, bald cypress trees are deciduous conifers that shed their needlelike leaves in the fall. A young bald cypress is symmetrical and pyramidal. N.C. The seed cones are green and globular and are typically no larger than 3.5 cm (1.4 inches) in diameter. The leaves fall off in the fall, giving the tree a “bald” look. The bald cypress is a low maintenance tree with easy fall cleanup. The russet-red fall color of its lacy needles is one of its outstanding characteristics.