Bald Cypress

Taxodium distichum

The bald cypress is a deciduous tree that can grow to nearly 70 feet tall. It has:

• Smooth, stringy, grayish-brown bark.
• Horizontal branches with needle-like leaves that grow in spirals along the stems.
• A swollen base (when the tree grows in water).
• Characteristic “knees” that protrude from the water or soil. The "knees" are part of the tree's root system.
• One or two small, round, gray cones at the end of the twigs.

Bald cypress foliage changes with age and season.

• Young bald cypress have pale green foliage, which becomes a darker green as the tree matures.
• In autumn, bald cypress foliage turns deep brown.
• In winter, the tree's feathery needles and twigs fall. Its "bald" appearance during this season gives the bald cypress its common name.

Where does the bald cypress grow?

Bald cypress grow in the wet soils and standing water of swamps and woods, but will also grow in drier soils.

The bald cypress is a southern species; Maryland and Delaware are at the northernmost limit of its range. In the Bay region, stands of bald cypress grow in:

• Virginia's Chickahominy River.
• Battle Creek in Calvert County, Maryland.
• The Pocomoke River on Maryland's Eastern Shore.
• Trap Pond State Park in southern Delaware.

Other facts about the bald cypress:

• The bald cypress is an extremely long-lived species; some stands are believed to be hundreds of years old.
• Turtles, snakes and many species of birds