Baldcypress
Taxodium distichum

Height: 50-70´
Habit: pyramidal, oval in old age

Landscape Value:

: The baldcypress tree is commonly used along ponds or lakes, where it forms distinctive knees along the water's edge. They are extremely adaptable trees, however, and also do well in drier, average landscapes, their only requirements being sun and a slightly acid soil. The tree transplants well and does not suffer to a great extent from pests or diseases. The baldcypress is a unique, stately, and graceful specimen in many ways, and, given room to grow, it can provide a variety of texture and form to the landscape. The tree can withstand very windy conditions and can be useful in landscapes with this requirement. A fairly fast growth rate of well over 2´ a year is common.

Seasonal Characteristics:

• Spring: The leaves (needles) open a striking yellow-green in the spring. This is one of the last trees to leaf out.
  
  
• Summer: The light green, feathery needles appear soft and graceful and will sway ever so slightly in the breeze.
  
  
• Fall: The ferny leaves turn a bronzy-yellow or rusty-brown and are a subtle addition to the landscape.
  
  
• Winter: An attractive characteristic of the baldcypress is the reddish, stringy bark, and after the leaves fall it is shown to its full advantage.

Points of Interest:

The baldcypress has suffered a great reduction in its native population. The wood was once used extensively for shingles and posts due to its high resistance to rot and insect damage. Baldcypress swamps are hauntingly beautiful and create a feel of the prehistoric past. The "knees" that form in these wet and swampy conditions will not form out of water, and their true function is still one of speculation. The tree is not a true cypress but is more closely related to sequoias and redwoods.

Native Range:

Southern Illinois is the farthest north this species is naturally found, eastern U.S. north to Delaware. Found mainly in swampy areas.

Link to Baldcypress