Bald cypress ∗ The big guide from A to Z

the essentials in brief

• the bald cypress is a deciduous coniferous tree with a conical crown, alternate needles, rust-brown autumn colors and a growth height of 30 to 40 metres.
• Plant the bald cypress in a sunny location, either with moist and wet to boggy or moderately dry soil with an acidic to neutral pH value.
• Care Tips: fertilize with compost and horn shavings,(€9.00 at Amazon*) water when dry, propagate through sowing, if necessary cut in February.
• Beautiful, garden-ready cultivars: Taxodium distichum 'Cascade Falls', dwarf bald cypress 'Peve Minaret', mini bald cypress 'Pendulum', groundcover bald cypress 'Secrest' and, as a majestic rarity, the Mexican bald cypress Taxodium mucronate.

Characteristics

• Scientific name: Taxodium distichum
• Family: Cypress family (Cupressaceae)
• Synonym: swamp yew
• Type: deciduous conifer
• Growth: conical crown
• Growth height: 30 to 40 m
• Leaf: alternate needles
• Flower: cones
• Flowering time: February to April
• Fruit: spherical cones
• Root: heart root
• Hardiness: hardy

growth

Monumental growth and an elegant, conical crown characterize the bald cypress. Under the furrowed, reddish-brown bark, the extravagant conifer hides high-quality, durable wood with a decorative grain. From the age of 100 years, the wood is considered to be particularly rot-resistant and is used, for example, in boat building or in outdoor constructions that are exposed to wind and weather. With an annual growth of 25 to 35 centimeters, the bald cypress is one of the relatively fast-growing conifers and quickly supplies the timber industry.

In forestry, conifers are very popular thanks to their unique growth characteristics. For this reason, stocks in Central Europe are declining dramatically. Bald cypresses are now a rarity in the wild. That was not always so. Fossil finds from the Tertiary in German brown coal mining prove that bald cypresses were widespread in the forests of our continent in the distant past.

Sheet

Bald cypresses wear a dense robe of leaves made of soft, dark green needles. Seen from a distance, the foliage is reminiscent of a yew tree, to which the middle name Sumpfeibe refers. In the swamps and flood plains of South America, the cypress family thrives as evergreen trees. In the cool regions of central Europe, the conifers shed their needle-shaped leaves after a spectacular copper-red to rust-brown autumn colour.

heyday

During the flowering period, male and female flowers can be admired on bald cypresses. Cypress plants are characterized by growth as monoecious seed plants of the same sex (monoecia). Male flowers begin in winter, followed by female flowers from early March to April. The following table lists the differences:

fruit

The spherical cones have a diameter of 1.2 to 3 centimeters. After pollination by the wind, bald cypress cones are initially green, later reddish-brown. From October, the ripe fruits will spread apart to release their seeds. Each cone contains 20 to 30 narrowly winged seeds.

root

Swamps as a habitat do not deter the extraordinary cypress, because it can rely on an ingenious root system. A strong, deep-reaching taproot guarantees stability in wind-exposed locations. So that the heart roots do not suffocate when planted in shallow water, furious breathing knees with a height of up to 50 centimeters form. It is a root metamorphosis for the uninterrupted supply of oxygen to the roots below the water level.

digression

Biggest tree in the world

Planting bald cypresses - tips & tricks

In the tree nursery you get ready-to-plant bald cypresses in containers or as bales. You can find out what you should pay particular attention to when planting in the following sections:

Location

Swamps are just one of many habitats for Taxodium distichum. The adaptable conifers are heat tolerant, wind resistant and exhaust gas tolerant. Only with a shady, very dry, calcareous location can the bald cypress not make friends. This allows planting in urban and rural regions, in parks and gardens with these basic conditions:

• Sunny to full sun
• Wet, swampy and flooded clay soil to moderately dry, sandy soil
• Ideally acidic to neutral pH 5 to 6

To enjoy the bizarre breathing roots, you can plant a bald cypress in the middle of a body of water or near the bank. Please note two important premises for these location variants: There must be no foil cover. Furthermore, the natural pond for the majestic original species should be several hundred square meters in size so that the annual masses of needles do not allow your water world to silt up.

planting

The best planting time is in spring. Young bald cypresses from the tree nursery are sensitive to frost. Planting between March and May gives the conifers enough time to take root in the ground before the first frost. Sandy dry improve garden soil them with leaf compost or bog soil. Loosen the soil at the site deeply before digging the generously dimensioned planting pit. Set aside a support stake for taller bald cypresses. Please drive this into the ground at an angle, because the trunk usually has side branches down to ground level.

Bald cypress - care tips

Bald cypresses are easy to care for. The following care tips provide a compact overview:

Pour

In the first few years, you should ideally water a bald cypress when it is dry rainwater. A regular supply of fresh water must be ensured at the flooded site, because the roots are threatened by rot in brackish water.

Fertilize

Flood zones and shallow waters near the shore make it unnecessary to add fertilizer because pond water transports enough nutrients to the roots. If the marsh yew thrives in normal garden soil, apply compost with horn shavings or mulch the tree disc with bark humus.

multiply

Bald cypresses are the easiest to propagate sowing. The following brief instructions explain how to do it correctly:

1. Collect ripe cones in October and November
2. Keep dry and airy until spring
3. Release seeds from the cones in March
4. Seeds germinate for three weeks in soft, room-warm water
5. change water daily
6. Sow germinating seeds in pots with coconut soil or seed substrate

Keep the soil slightly moist at all times in a bright location on the south-facing window, in the conservatory, on the glazed terrace or in the greenhouse. Proportionally to the growth, repot your offspring into larger pots. From a growth height of 10 centimeters, fertilize with liquid conifer fertilizer in half concentration.

To cut

Bald cypresses naturally shape their cone-shaped crown over time. Cut the conifers only when necessary. You can prune the conifers if you are bothered by the lower-seated side branches. Thin out dead branches. The best time for a regular cut is February on a frost-free day. However, the cypresses are still without their leaves at this time. If you want to better judge growth and needles, cut a swamp yew at the end of June.

Popular Varieties

The bald cypress is the mighty ancestor of numerous gardening varieties that you can buy in any well-stocked tree nursery:

• Taxodium distichum 'Cascade Falls': shrubby bald cypress, overhanging side branches, 100-400 cm tall.
• Bald Cypress 'Secrest': broad, bushy, plate-shaped habit, 20-90 cm high, 40-300 cm wide, nice ground cover.
• Dwarf bald cypress 'Peve Minaret': slender, columnar cypress, 200 to 300 cm tall.
• Mini bald cypress 'Pendulum': 30-50 cm high, 20-30 cm wide, ideal for small gardens and containers.
• Mexican bald cypress: Rarity, Mexican national tree, 40 m tall.

FAQ

What is the difference between bald cypress and sequoia?

The bald cypress is closely related to the sequoia (Metasequoia glyptostroboides). The cypress plants can be distinguished primarily by the growth of their needles. The needle-shaped leaves are arranged alternately on the real bald cypress. The sequoia has opposite foliage.

Can you plant a bald cypress in a bucket?

Short-growing varieties such as the dwarf bald cypress 'Peve Minaret' or the mini bald cypress 'Penulum' are primarily suitable for permanent planting in tubs. Real bald cypresses are a beautiful eye-catcher in a large tub for up to five years and should then be planted out in the garden. We recommend slightly acidic substrates rhododendron soil. Regular water and nutrient supply and light winter protection are important for care.

What are the characteristics of bald cypress wood?

Bald cypress wood is highly valued because it is easy to work with. It is rot-proof, nail-proof and screw-proof, and accepts glue, paint and varnish very well. The sapwood is creamy white, the heartwood yellowish brown. The abrupt color transitions are striking Eye, which creates the coveted grain. Furthermore, the specific dry weight of Taxodium wood is 515 kilograms per cubic meter. After drying, a volume shrinkage of 10.5 percent is recorded.

How do the roots develop? Can you plant bald cypresses near the house?

Bald cypresses are heart-rooted with strong taproots. The conspicuous lateral breathing knees, up to 50 centimeters high, only form in wet, swampy or flooded locations. Measure the distance from the house in proportion to the expected growth height and width. A real bald cypress grows up to 40 meters high and 10 meters wide. This growth makes a minimum distance of 5 meters to buildings sensible.