Taxod_info.html

Taxodium distichum (Baldcypress): Information.
Identifying characteristics: Young trees have a pyramidal crown, becoming flat-topped and cylindrical with short, branches ascending at the ends. The base of the trunk is often swollen and fluted and characteristic "knees" protrude from the roots in wet sites. Trees can live for several centuries and can reach more than 165 feet tall, but usually grow to 50 to 70 feet tall in cultivation. Leaves are small (0.25 to 0.75 inches long) and flat, with a feather-like appearance. They are spirally arranged on the branchlets, but appear 2-ranked, with the bases contracted and twisted. Spring foliage is bright yellow-green becoming sage green in summer. Leaves are deciduous (unlike most conifers) and the rich, russet-brown leaves fall attached to the 2- to 3-inch-long shoots. Male and female flowers are produced on the same tree, male flowers in hanging panicles and female flowers borne in rounded cones. Cones are ball-shaped, short-stalked and hanging, each with 9 to 15, 4-sided scales each containing 2 seeds. Cones are green to purple and resinous when young, becoming brown, wrinkled and woody, maturing in one year. The rounded, alternate buds are formed near the tips of stems and are covered with sharp-pointed, overlapping scales. The reddish-brown bark is relatively thin, with shallow furrows and broad, flat ridges separating into thin, fibrous scales. Similar species: Ecology: Distribution: The baldcypress is native throughout the southeastern forest region from New Jersey to eastern Texas and up the Mississippi River Valley to southeast Missouri and southern Illinois. It is very adaptable and is planted far north of its range, withstanding minus 30 degrees F. Habitat: It grows in both uplands and bottomlands, but is more often found on wetter sites such as swamps, marshes and river bottoms where common hardwoods cannot survive. It grows best on deep, sandy loams with plenty of water and becomes chloritic where soils are too alkaline. Trees are exceptionally windfirm. This species has been little used, and is relatively free of pests and diseases, but can succumb to bark beetle attack. Twig blight, wood decay and cypress moth attacks can occur, but are not serious. Uses: Wood: Wood is hard, heavy, straight-grained and easy to work. It is called "everlasting" wood as it is extremely durable when exposed to the elements. It is considered to be a shrink-resistant and pest-resistant wood, and is used for greenhouse benches, posts, beams, dock and bridge timbers, tanks, vats and shingles. Fatty foods stored in baldcypress containers will not be flavored by the wood. Resin from the cones was once used as a healing balm. Wildlife: Baldcypress trees are not extremely important to wildlife. Florida cranes eat the seeds and leaves; ducks eat the seeds; and swamp rabbits eat the young saplings. Bald cypress swamp habitats are rich feeding grounds for waterfowl-providing an abundance of insect life, aquatic and shoreline vegetation, and crustaceans. Horticulture: Baldcypress trees are widely planted as ornamentals in the northern states, southern Canada and Europe. They are good for large parks and estates, highways and groves around lakes. Young trees need to be protected from frost for the first couple of years. 'Shawnee Brave' is a narrow, pyramidal tree good for street planting. The pond cypress (T. distichum var. imbricarium) has leaves that are 5- to 8-ranked and overlap one another. The Montezuma cypress (T. mucronatum or T. distichum var. mexicanum) has persistent leaves and is native from Guatemala and Mexico to southeast Texas.

Taxodium distichum (Baldcypress): Information.

Identifying characteristics:
Young trees have a pyramidal crown, becoming flat-topped and cylindrical with short, branches ascending at the ends. The base of the trunk is often swollen and fluted and characteristic "knees" protrude from the roots in wet sites. Trees can live for several centuries and can reach more than 165 feet tall, but usually grow to 50 to 70 feet tall in cultivation. Leaves are small (0.25 to 0.75 inches long) and flat, with a feather-like appearance. They are spirally arranged on the branchlets, but appear 2-ranked, with the bases contracted and twisted. Spring foliage is bright yellow-green becoming sage green in summer. Leaves are deciduous (unlike most conifers) and the rich, russet-brown leaves fall attached to the 2- to 3-inch-long shoots. Male and female flowers are produced on the same tree, male flowers in hanging panicles and female flowers borne in rounded cones. Cones are ball-shaped, short-stalked and hanging, each with 9 to 15, 4-sided scales each containing 2 seeds. Cones are green to purple and resinous when young, becoming brown, wrinkled and woody, maturing in one year. The rounded, alternate buds are formed near the tips of stems and are covered with sharp-pointed, overlapping scales. The reddish-brown bark is relatively thin, with shallow furrows and broad, flat ridges separating into thin, fibrous scales.

Similar species:

Ecology:
Distribution: The baldcypress is native throughout the southeastern forest region from New Jersey to eastern Texas and up the Mississippi River Valley to southeast Missouri and southern Illinois. It is very adaptable and is planted far north of its range, withstanding minus 30 degrees F.

Habitat: It grows in both uplands and bottomlands, but is more often found on wetter sites such as swamps, marshes and river bottoms where common hardwoods cannot survive. It grows best on deep, sandy loams with plenty of water and becomes chloritic where soils are too alkaline. Trees are exceptionally windfirm. This species has been little used, and is relatively free of pests and diseases, but can succumb to bark beetle attack. Twig blight, wood decay and cypress moth attacks can occur, but are not serious.

Uses:
Wood: Wood is hard, heavy, straight-grained and easy to work. It is called "everlasting" wood as it is extremely durable when exposed to the elements. It is considered to be a shrink-resistant and pest-resistant wood, and is used for greenhouse benches, posts, beams, dock and bridge timbers, tanks, vats and shingles. Fatty foods stored in baldcypress containers will not be flavored by the wood. Resin from the cones was once used as a healing balm.

Wildlife: Baldcypress trees are not extremely important to wildlife. Florida cranes eat the seeds and leaves; ducks eat the seeds; and swamp rabbits eat the young saplings. Bald cypress swamp habitats are rich feeding grounds for waterfowl-providing an abundance of insect life, aquatic and shoreline vegetation, and crustaceans.

Horticulture: Baldcypress trees are widely planted as ornamentals in the northern states, southern Canada and Europe. They are good for large parks and estates, highways and groves around lakes. Young trees need to be protected from frost for the first couple of years. 'Shawnee Brave' is a narrow, pyramidal tree good for street planting. The pond cypress (T. distichum var. imbricarium) has leaves that are 5- to 8-ranked and overlap one another. The Montezuma cypress (T. mucronatum or T. distichum var. mexicanum) has persistent leaves and is native from Guatemala and Mexico to southeast Texas.