Bald Cypress

All You Ever Need to Know About the Bald Cypress

​At Above and Beyond Tree Service we have a deep-rooted passion, devotion, and respect for trees. We
are inspired by their beauty, strength, power, and their indelible role in our community and the
environment. We want to share our passion for trees with you through our educational blog series, Tree
Facts, to hopefully inspire you too. This series offers information we hope you’ll find useful on a
different species of tree each month, focusing on trees you might find in your own backyard and
neighborhood here in Northeast Florida.

Scientific name: Taxodium distichum

Also known as: Swamp cypress, gulf cypress, red cypress, tidewater red cypress

Size: 100-150 feet tall, 3-6 feet in diameter

Lifespan: Up to 600 years, but because the wood is rot resistant, the bald cypress has the potential to live for thousands of years.

Characteristics: The bald cypress has been described as a mysterious and even mythical tree in literature because of its distinctive and unique characteristics. It is a deciduous conifer, shedding its needle-like leaves in the fall. The bald cypress can develop knee roots, which grow from horizontal roots and protrude above the ground. The scientific name for knee roots is pneumatophore, which means air-bearing.

Blooming period: March and April

Habitat: Swamps, river channels, and flood plains, but can be adapted to different environments.

Location: Found in coastal areas from the Mid-Atlantic region to the Southeast, including the entire state of Florida, and west to Texas. It is also found in limited areas in Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky.

What you should know: The bald cypress is excellent at soaking up flood water and preventing erosion. It also traps pollutants and keeps them from spreading. It is an important habitat for a number of animals. It is a favorite nesting spot for bald eagles, ospreys, and herons.

Uses: The bald cypress’ durable wood is used for docks, bridges, silos, tanks, and caskets. The old growth heartwood is especially prized. 

When you should trim: To keep your bald cypress in optimal health, have any dead and hanging limbs removed, along with the bottom limbs that can grow at or below head level.

History: “The Senator” was a 3,500-year-old bald cypress located in Longwood, in Central Florida that burned to the ground in 2012. It was designated by President Calvin Coolidge as a national historic landmark in 1929. It was believed to be one of the 10 oldest trees in the world, and likely the oldest in the U.S. It was named after Florida state Sen. Moses Overstreet, who donated the land where it stood for Big Tree Park in Seminole County.

Fun fact: The bald cypress is related to the redwood and giant sequoia species that are located along the west coast of the U.S. and are also cypress species.  It is the official state tree of Louisiana.

Resources:

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/EP/EP00700.pdf

http://www.sfrc.ufl.edu/Extension/florida_forestry_information/forest_resources/trees_of_florida_common_name.html

https://www.arborday.org/trees/treeguide/treedetail.cfm?itemID=787

https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Plants-and-Fungi/Bald-Cypress

http://www.mortonarb.org/trees-plants/tree-plant-descriptions/bald-cypress

https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/stories/mourning-the-loss-of-the-senator-a-3500-year-old-tree

http://sfrc.ufl.edu/extension/4h/trees/Bald_cypress/index.html

https://plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_tadi2.pdf

https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/Pages/taxdis/taxdis.shtml

https://www.savetheredwoods.org/redwoods/redwood-relatives/

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