Taxodium distichum (Bald Cypress)
Long-lived and majestic, Taxodium distichum (Bald Cypress) is a deciduous coniferous tree of great beauty. It features an upright, pyramidal form that enhances many landscapes. Unlike most cone-bearing trees, Bald Cypress loses its needles each winter and grows a new set in spring. Its delicate foliage sprays of soft, feathery, sage-green leaves, turns rich shades of orange, cinnamon, and golden-brown in the fall, before dropping and revealing the red-brown to silver exfoliating bark. Small ovoid, purplish-green cones mature to brown. Flared at the base, its trunk develops knobby growths ('knees') when grown in waterlogged soils. The russet-red fall color of its lacy needles and the interesting winter silhouette are some of its outstanding characteristics. A spectacular tree for stream banks or pond edges.
- Grows up to 50-70 ft. tall (15-21 m) and 20-30 ft. wide (6-9 m).
- A full sun lover, this plant is easily grown in moist or poorly drained soils. Prefers moist, acidic, sandy soils, but tolerates a wide range of soil conditions, ranging from dry soils to wet soils to standing water.
- Virtually pest and disease free.
- Requires little pruning
- Propagate by seed
- Native to the southeastern United States.
Requirements
Hardiness | 5 – 11 |
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Heat Zones | 5 – 12 |
Climate Zones | 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 |
Plant Type | Conifers, Trees |
Plant Family | Taxodium – Cypresses |
Exposure | Full Sun |
Season of Interest | Spring (Early,Mid,Late)Summer (Early,Mid,Late)FallWinter |
Height | 50' – 70' (15m – 21m) |
Spread | 20' – 30' (6m – 9m) |
Water Needs | Average, High |
Maintenance | Low |
Soil Type | Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand |
Soil pH | Acid, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained, Poorly Drained |
Characteristics | Showy, Fruit & Berries |
Native Plants | United States, Midwest, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, Northeast, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Southeast, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Southwest, Oklahoma, Texas |
Tolerance | Clay Soil, Deer, Wet Soil |
Attracts | Birds |
Garden Uses | Bog Gardens, Ponds and Streams, Rain Gardens |
Garden Styles | Prairie and Meadow |