All About the Bald Cypress:
Scientific Nomenclature: Taxodium distichum
Common Names: bald-cypress, swamp cypress, white cypress, red cypress, gulf cypress
Mature Height: 50–70 feet
Mature Spread: 20–30 feet
Growth Rate: Moderate
Attracts Wildlife: Birds and small mammals
Messiness: Small cones mature and drop in autumn. Needles turn brown in autumn and the branchlet with needles still attached drops soon after.
Shape: Pyramidal
Native to Kentucky: Yes
Preferred Soils: Prefers moist to occasionally wet but well-drained acidic (<6.0pH) sandy soils but is tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions from dry clay and loam, to even flooded conditions for extended periods of time.
Screening: Is not useful as a screening or privacy tree.
Drought Tolerance: Is intolerant of drought though it can withstand dry soil conditions at times.
Coniferous or Deciduous: Deciduous conifer
Pruning: Does not need to be pruned. Its roots grow knobby, conical “knees” that rise out of the ground around it. These features are most prominent in wet or swampy conditions, so plan accordingly.
Climate Quick Facts:
Following being planted as a sapling, over 20 years one bald-cypress will:
- Sequester ~859 pounds of CO2.
- Reduce stormwater runoff by 157 gallons