Mr Adam

Bald Cypresss

Taxodium

While most people think of giant trees in the bayou full of Water Moccasins when they think of Bald Cypress - this is however also a top rated landscape tree thriving in many regions on all continents ( except Antarctica ). The hardy Taxodiums grow well on wet sites but also thrive on drier upland soils whether sandy or clay. They are tolerant of salt and also easily propagated from seed sown during autumn except for some cultivars which have to be grafted or grown from cuttings taken during early summer.

There are 3 species of Taxodiums - all listed below...

Taxodium ascendens ( Pond Cypress )
Native to the southeast U.S. Very fast growing and generally tall and narrow to 80 feet in height. The largest trees on record are long gone due to the previous 2 centuries worth of destruction of the souths swamp forests however they reached up to 140 x 80 feet with trunk diameters up to 8 feet. One giant tree of 115 x 54 x 6.5 feet is reported to grow in Jefferson County, Georgia. The largest tree in the Philly area grows at Westtown School.
Some growth rates recorded are: 7 years - 22 feet; 8 years - 23 x 15 feet; 10 years - 30 feet; 20 years - 40 x 15 feet. Fastest recorded growth rate is 4 feet.
This tree generally have a narrow pyramidal shape and a widened trunk base.
The feathery foliage is bright green in spring turning to medium green in summer then to rusty red-brown in fall. The actually leaves are tiny and linear up to 0.5 inches long and are upright and closly pressed against deciduous shoots of the same color ( that look like leaves ) up to 6 inches long.
The cones are tiny up to o.25 inches.
The branches are upright and spreading.
Hardy zones 4 to 10 tolerating as cold as -30 F. Wind & ice resistant.
The Pond Cypress makes a tough good city street tree however unlike the Bald Cypress it should not be planted where it will get salt runoff.
Reported to grow in Washington, D.C. at the National Arboretum and at the Mall ( Department of Agriculture ).
Nutans
older trees have pendulous branch tips


* photos taken on May 6 2010 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD




* photos taken on 4th of July 2010 in Washington, D.C.




* photo taken on July 17 2010 @ Morris Arboretum, Philly, PA

* photos taken on Aug 20 2011 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD




* photos taken on Aug 25 2011 @ Scott Arboretum, Swarthmore, PA



* photo taken on Aug 17 2012 in Baltimore Co., MD
* photos taken on Oct 31 2013 @ Hampton Ntl. Historic Site, Towson, MD


Prairie Sentinal
Narrow in habit, only reaching up to 10 feet in width.

* photos taken on May 16 2010 @ Cylburn Arboretum, Baltimore, MD






Taxodium distichum

A native of the famous cypress swamps of the southeast U.S.( Oklahoma to Illinois to Maryland, south to the Gulf Coast but excluding the entire Appalatian Region ) the Bald Cypress is actually hardy over most of North America and fast growing in most places. When first discovered the old grown wooded swamp in the deep south contained such trees up to 200 feet tall, 100 feet in width and 20 feet in trunk diameter. Some were also up to 35oo years old. Most of these trees have been looged long ago as our ecosystem been trashed over the past 200+ years however Bald Cypress over 100 feet are still common today. In just a single year the Bald Cypress can add up to 5 feet of new growth. Other recorded growth rates include: 12 feet in 3 years, 28 feet in 9 years @ Wichita, Kansas, 60 x 17 feet in 20 years, 100 x 22 x 1.5 feet in 30 years, and 120 feet in 60 years; 166 years - trunk diameter of 7 feet. Far outside its native range it still grows large ( 95 x 55 x 3 feet in Detroit and similarily large on heavy upland clay in Dayton, OH ) and success has been reported in cold climates such as Minneaplis, MN & Ottawa, Canada & in the extreme summer heat of Dallas ,Texas. Large trees can be seen in the Philly at Woodlands Cemetary and Friends Hospital, as well as Longwood Gardens nearby. In the first year; the Bald Cypress can reach 24 inches in height from seed.
This relative of the Redwoods has also been planted in Europe since 1640. It is hardy from zone 3 - 10 ( tolorance of -42 F are reported while it also grows in Miami, Florida ). This may actually be the worlds hardiest tree. Like most Redwoods, it existed for millions of years and is not bothered by pests and diseases.
Its canopy is very dense, shaped pyramidal when young and more spreading with age. The Bald Cypress can withstand very high wind including hurricanes. On dry soil it has a deep taproot to anchor it. On wet soil it forms cypress knees or woody protrusions to help it breathe. It grows best on deep rich soil in areas of hot humid summers.
It is salt, wind, lightning, hail, ice, deer, clay, compaction and pollution tolerant. Lawns grow well underneath it. Unfortunately it hates to be transplanted so it should be moved while very small. Should also be pruned to a single leader when young.
Its 1" linear lush green leaves emerge late in spring and turn red in November before falling. This tree is not an evergreen.
* USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

* photo taken by F. Burns @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

* photo taken in Washington, D.C. on July 1987


* photo taken @ Longwood Gardens near Philly, PA on March 1994


* photos of unknown internet origin






* photo taken on May 1 2010 in Ellicott City, MD


* photos taken on May 16 2010 @ Cylburn Arboretum, Baltimore, MD


* photos taken on 4th of July 2010 in Washington, D.C.












* photo taken on August 3 2010 @ University of Guelph Arboretum, Ontario

* photos taken on Aug 20 2011 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD




* photos taken on Aug 25 2011 @ Scott Arboretum, Swarthmore, PA

* photos of unknown internet source


* native Cypress swamp in Harford Co, MD on Oct 30 2011

* photo taken on Nov 14 2011 in Columbia, MD



Cascade Falls
Dwarf strongly weeping form, reaching up to only 20 x 20 feet ( lower with pruning ) at maturity. Some records include: 10 years - 12 x 4 ( rarely over 10 ) feet.
It requires staking when young to develop height.
The foliage is bright green.

* photo taken on October 15 2010 in Howard County, MD

* photos taken on Aug 20 2011 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD


* photo taken on Sep 1 2011 in Clarksville, MD

* photo taken on June 17 2011 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on June 7 2012 in Columbia, MD
* photo taken on July 7 2012 in Columbia, MD
* photo taken on Mar 7 2013 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

Fastigiata
Columnar and very tall, reaching up to 150 feet in height.
Some records include: 10 years - 14 x 6 feet.
The scale-like foliage is bright green.

Monarch
faster growing and more weeping.

Nelson
Extremely vigorous with deeper green foliage color than typical Bald Cypress.
Some records include: cuttings first season - 5 feet; 24 years - 45 x 36 feet with a trunk diameter of 21 inches.
Exceptionally hardy, tolerating ice and winds up to 80 mph or more.
Hardy zones 4b to 9, tolerating -28 F with no damage.

Novum Pendulum
A weeping form with a strong central leader that grows very tall while the side shoots are strongly weeping. It does not need to be staked.
Hardy zones 6 to 9.

Pendula
graceful weeping form

Taxodium mucronulatum ( Montezuma Bald Cypress )
Native to southern Texas and Mexico; the Montezuma Bald Cypress is one of the worlds largest trees having the potential of reaching up to 300 feet in height; 120 feet in width and 38 feet in trunk diameter over its 2000 years of life ( unconfirmed claims of ages up to 5000 years ). The tree has massive limbs and a broad crown.
Some growth records include: 10 years - 20 x 17 feet; 14 years - 40 feet; growth rate - 4 feet per year.
One famous Montezuma Bald Cypress is also the largest tree in Mexico and is known as Arbol_del_Tule
Another large tree of 96 x 71 x 5 feet grows in Sacramento Capital Park in Sacramento, California. It has been planted in California since 1905 especially in Sacramento & Pasadena.
Evergreen in milder climates; the foliage is pendulous and very similar to Taxodium distichum
however the cones are larger.
Red brown bark is shredded.
A very strong wooded tree and typically growing with a strong central leader when young - the only major pruning is generally removing the lower branches for clearance whether for street traffic or in a park setting.
This tree is generally immune to pests and diseases and though the seedlings need moist soil, established trees are moderately drought tolerant. It is tolerant of clay and extended flooding. An excellent street tree it does not generally produce surface roots or "knees" on upland sites ( does NOT lift sidewalks )
Reliably hardy zones 8 to 10 with reports of zone 6 and even hardiness of -22 F ( with clone originating in wild at Las Cruces, New Mexico only - other clones hardy to around 0 F ). Anywhere colder than zone 8 it is likely to be deciduous. A 37 foot tree is reported to grow in North Carolina.
Seed remains viable for up to 3 years refridgerated and then needs no pretreatment. They are faster growing than Bald Cypress ( Taxodium distichum ). They take 6 months to grow to 5 gallon size and a year to grow to 15 gallon size. Shear sides when young.


* photos of unknown source on internet





Pendulum
Strongly weeping in habit, it requires staking to develop height when young.
Some records include: 10 years - 6 x 6 feet.
The foliage is bright green.
Hardy zones 8 to 10

Taxodium Nanjing Beauty
An extremely fast growing hybrid cross ( Taxodium distichum x Taxodium mucronatum ) developed by Dr. Chen Yonghui, Nanjing Botanical Garden in 1980. It is being used for reforestation in China, where it has been planted by the millions.
It also makes a great street tree.
Pyramidal in habit, reaching well over 100 feet. Some records include: fastest recorded growth rate - 8 feet; 8 years - 25 x 8 feet Unlike its parent Taxodium distichum, this one does not develop knees and its semi-evergreen foliage persists very late in autumn.
Hardy zones 7 to 9 ( possibly 6 ), it is very easy to root from cuttings.
Very tolerant of wet, salty and alkaline soils. Like one of its parents Taxodium mucrodium, it may loose its foliage during severe drought, then releaf after.