Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) is a native deciduous conifer of the southeastern U.S. that grows 50-70 feet tall, preferring moist to wet, acidic soils. It is characterized by feathery, needle-like leaves that turn reddish-brown in the fall, a distinctive pyramidal shape, and unique root structures called “cypress knees” that may provide oxygen in waterlogged soils. The rot-resistant wood of this long-lived tree has been highly valued for construction and cabinetry.

• Type: Deciduous conifer, meaning it’s a cone-bearing tree that loses its needles annually, unlike most conifers 
• Foliage: Delicate, feather-like needles that are green in the spring and summer, turning to reddish-orange, cinnamon, and golden-brown before falling in autumn 
• Bark: Fibrous, reddish-brown, and exfoliating, with younger trees showing strips of color that become less prominent with age 
• Trunk: Tapers to a slightly buttressed base, providing stability in wet soils 
• “Knees”: Cone-shaped protrusions that emerge from the roots in poorly drained areas, believed to provide stability and aid in aeration 
• Cones: Small, ovoid, woody cones that mature in the fall and contain seeds
• Growth Rate: Can be fast-growing when young, with some seedlings growing up to two feet a year
• Lifespan: A long-lived tree, with some specimens reaching over 600 years old