Bald Cypress Taxodium Distichum B&B - Long Life Ornamental Tree



Posted: Thursday, October 15, 2009

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tn nursery

Taxodium Distichum is the scientific name for Bald Cypress. The tree grows on flat surfaces that are rich in alluvial soils found near swamps, wetlands (riversides), lake and river edges that get flooded from time to time by water that is brown in color, as it is silt rich. The plant can grow above sea levels of 50m to 500m, mainly found in the southeastern part of the United States right from Delaware to the Southern Illinois . People call Taxodiu Distichum "balf" as it looses its leaves in winter. The color of the bark is red-brown to gray brown.

The tree can grow from 25 to 40 m in height. Pollination occurs in early winter and formation of buds in the fall, then maturing of the male and female occurs in about 12 months. Cypress trees are of two kinds the bald and the pond types. The arrangement of linear leaves of Bald Cypress Taxodium Distichum is in two ranks on the stem on either sides, and the leaves not only spread out on the branch but the branch itself has an outward spread. The leaves have a linear look to them. The Bald Cypress was officially declared the "State tree" for Louisiana in 1963.

Dispersal of the seeds of Bald Cypress occurs by floodwater or by squirrels, but only the seedlings that are dropped on soil that is saturated, continuously germinate. Once they germinate, the seeds have to grow rapidly to avoid the floodwater. On creating proper fertilization conditions in a nursery , it can grow up to 100m in the first year alone. If water covers the seedlings for 2 to 4 weeks, they die.

When the tree is young, it grows fast but as it ages the growth slows down and then, by the time it reaches 200 years, it completely seizes. The tree mostly exists for at least 500 years, but some individual ones are known to survive for 1000 years. If the Bald Cypress is growing in swamp areas, the growth (cypress knees) is different compared to the growth of a Bald Cypress in a flood prone area (buttressed base). The buttressed base is a root system, intertwined to assist the tree in resisting strong winds, even hurricanes.

The tree needs protection from fungus which can damage it by causing "pecky cypress", which is a brown pocket rot that destroys the living tree's wood right from the top to the root. Insects like the leafroller and cypress flea beetle causes the maximum damage though because they attack the bark, cones and leaves of the tree. The young seedlings are clipped and uprooted by Coypu, this kills the whole plantation in a short span of time.

Bald Cypress is famous for its ornamental look, high yield, and ecosystem products. Its wood is water resistant and used in special woodcarvings therefore the name "wood eternal". Pecky cypress wood attacked by fungus is used to make decorative wall paneling. The tree never dies even when struck by lightning, despite the explosion of giant splinters. It instead grows back from the damaged part of the trunk.

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