Bald Cypress

The Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) is a large-sized deciduous conifer tree. It is an extremely long-lived tree that commonly lives up to 600 years in the wild. It has a pyramidal growth habit when young and develops a wide, spreading base that narrows up the massive trunk to an irregular flat top. It has short needles along slim branches that emerge yellow-green in the spring, turn to light green in summer, and are reddish orange-brown before falling off for the winter. In the winter they maintain their stately appearance as young trees with their stark pyramidal shape and as older trees with their huge trunks and ancient looking form.

The Bald Cypress is native from Delaware south to Florida and west to Missouri, Arkansas, and Louisiana. They are found in abundance in southern swamps where they can out-compete most other trees. They are, however, very adaptive trees and can be planted in yards and even along streets from their native range up to Milwaukee when in the right conditions. This tree makes an impressive ornamental piece in large yards and parks and is a great option for wetter planting sites or near rivers and streams. It does best in full sun and prefers moist, acidic soils but tolerates a range of conditions from moderately dry soils to standing water.