Taxodium distichum
Description: The Bald Cypress is a large tree that can reach heights of up to 150 feet. It features a distinctive buttressed base, and as the tree matures, it develops conic to rounded knees around its base.
Twig/Bark: The bark ranges in color from reddish-brown to gray and has a fibrous texture with shallow furrows. The twigs are elongated brown shoots that appear rough in texture. They bear individual leaves along with short shoots that produce clusters of leaves, which shed as a single unit during the fall.
Leaves: The leaves are orbicular in shape with irregular serrations along the edges. The upper surface of the leaves is green to dark green, while the lower surface typically exhibits a white-glaucous hue. In the fall, the foliage displays a vibrant transformation, turning shades of yellow-orange to red.
Flower/Fruit: The Bald Cypress produces two types of cones. Pollen cones are green when young in the spring and develop into brown pendulous panicles. Seed cones appear in the fall, either as single cones or in clusters of two to three. As they mature, these cones dry and break apart into several four-sided scales, each containing up to two seeds.
Habitat: This species thrives in a variety of wetland habitats, including swamps, sloughs, and depressions found in bottomland forests. It also grows along lake margins and river banks, making it well-adapted to saturated environments. This species is considered intermediate shade tolerant, allowing it to thrive in partially shaded environments.