Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Bald cypress

Taxodium distichum is bald cypress, and is in the cypress family (Cupressaceae)

This is planted around the FSU campus in a few places, especially in low lying areas near drains and ditches. A few nice examples occur just to the west of the tennis courts. It is normally associated with swamps in SE coastal plain region of North America - Delaware to Texas. It occurs statewide in Florida but not in the southern most counties. Good examples occur at Wakulla Springs.
Deciduous bald cypress growing in Wakulla Springs

The buttressed roots of bald cypress.
Fruit of bald cypress


Description: Grows tall and straight to about 40 m in height with some trees having large buttresses. Deciduous. Leaves: Green 8-20 mm long - feather like in appearance. Fruit: globose cones.

Similar to: Pond cypress (Taxodium ascendens) is similar but the pond cypress in form but the leaves are short 3-6 mm (needle like in appearance) and appressed to the supporting branchlets.

Pond cypress leaves and fruit.



Map of bald cypress on the FSU campus - click for more information.

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