| The Everglades in Ohio? |
| Location: Corner of Tennis
Courts |
| This attractive tree, Bald
Cypress, grows naturally in the Southeastern United States. It is very
common in the Florida Everglades. Its scientific name is Taxodium distichum, one of only 3
known species in the genus Taxodium.
They are members of the Cypress/ Redwood Family, the
Cupressaceae. Some botanists put them in a separate family, the
Taxodiaceae. It is the state tree of Louisiana. These trees thrive in deep moist soil when planted as far north as New England. They need full sun and grow up to 70-100 feet in height and 20-30 feet wide. This is one of the Gymnosperms that is deciduous (not evergreen) -- it not only loses its leaves (needles) in Autumn but it loses whole branchlets! Look at the summer branches to see the new growth, the delicate branchlets that will be shed. If you are reading this in Winter or early Spring, look on the ground for the branchlets that were shed last Autumn. These beautifully symmetrical (when young) trees are excellent additions to the home landscape, especially in wet places in the lawn, but they tolerate dryer soils, too. They have no pest or disease problems. The trunks are reddish brown with fibrous bark and soft sage green foliage. The foliage is a bright yellow green when new and is a burnt orange color in the fall. Seeds are produced in globular cones that are about 1 inch in diameter and that shatter (break into pieces) before falling to the ground. They are greenish purple and fragrant. The trunks often flair at the base into prominent buttresses. When growing in very wet soils the roots form "knees" that come above the water. These are used for gas exchange between the roots and the air. The knees are harvested in Florida and transformed into lamps and other decorative objects. Here you can see that the knees have been damaged by the lawn mowers and develop only into low bumpy growths. When planting these trees in a home landscape avoid areas that will be mowed. In the Everglades the trees are often draped with Spanish Moss (Tillandsia), a member of the Pineapple Family. Bald Cypress wood is soft but very durable and is used for docks, warehouses, boats, bridges, as well as general millwork and interior trim. -- Brandi Stover
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