UF/IFAS
Okeechobee County Extension Service
458 Highway 98 North
Okeechobee, FL 34972-2578
Phone: (863) 763-6469
E- mail: dfculbert@ifas.ufl.edu
July 11 , 2007
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Feature Article - for release the week of July 15, 2007
Dan Culbert - Extension Horticulture Agent
Cypress - An Ideal Choice for Wet Sites
Rains and summer temperatures in Florida bring visions of swamps and gators. A lasting symbol of our freshwater areas is the Cypress Tree. But as Hendry County Extension Director Gene McAvoy reminds us in this week’s column, the Cypress can also do well out of water as well.
Cypress trees have ruled their watery domain as the lords of southern swamps, sloughs and other wetland areas for millions of years. Cypress is a conifer and is related to its long-lived relatives, the famed redwoods and sequoias of California. Unlike other conifers, cypress trees are deciduous: that means they shed their needles (leaves) in the fall.
Two kinds of cypress trees are recognized in Florida, the bald-cypress (Taxodium distichum var. distichum) and the pond-cypress (T. distichum var. nutans). Both species share a number of characteristics which sometimes make identification tricky.
The bald-cypress is generally much larger and is more widely distributed than the pond-cypress. Pond-cypress needles tend to be held more closely to the twig than bald-cypress, whose needles stand at nearly right angles to the twig. In addition, pond-cypress thrives in characteristic stands called domes or strands. These areas are poorly drained and have nutrient-poor soils around ponds or natural depressions. The bald-cypress is typically found on nutrient rich seasonally flooded sites.
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Baldcypress foliage is flat, and grows on both sides of horizontal branchelets. Photo UF/IFAS |
Pondcypress leaves are awl-shaped or scale-like,
pressed close to drooping branchlets. Photo
UF/IFAS |
These mossy monarchs are well known for their fluted base or buttress, which can range in form from conical to bell-bottomed or bottle-shaped. The most distinctive characteristic of cypress tress is their unique root system. On wetter sites, the shallow and widespread root systems give rise to the peculiar aboveground conical structures known as "knees." These "knees" can take on an astonishing variety of forms and even form the basis for many well known local attractions – like Tom Gaskin's Cypress Museum in nearby Palmdale.
The size of cypress knees and the width of the buttress on an individual tree is directly related to water level. The function of cypress knees is some what mysterious. They were thought to aid the roots in gas exchange under flooded conditions but removal of the knees seems to have no ill effect on the tree.
Feathery light green needles which turn an attractive red brown before they drop in the late fall. In winter, the bare trees reveal their many colorful air plants. The coarse grey bark contributes to making the cypress an appealing tree for landscape use. Bald-cypress is also a favored nesting place for many of our larger wading birds and raptors.
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This
Bald Cypress was found growing in Southern Ohio,
away from any pond or lake.
Photo: Dan
Culbert, UF/IFAS |
The buttressed roots of
cypress appear when the tree grows in standing
water. While cypress trees are an obvious choice for wetter sites and aquascaping around water features, bald-cypress is tolerant of drier upland sites and is frequently used in parks and as a residential shade tree. As an ornamental specimen, the bald-cypress offers a unique appearance, symmetrical shape, fairly rapid growth rate and excellent disease resistance.
Bald-cypress matures at 100-120 feet or more in height and may have a trunk of 3-5 feet in diameter. Site selection is important to assure that the seedling planted today has plenty of room to reach its full potential. Both species tolerate a wide range of soil types and require little fertility, making them ideal for low maintenance Florida Yards.
These trees should be planted in full sunlight for best growth although they will perform well under high drifting shade. Containerized plants of several different sizes and prices are widely available in our area nurseries. Mature seeds gathered from under cypress trees can be germinated fairly easily by the enterprising gardener and will produce a nice size tree for planting into the landscape in a few years.
Cypress suffers from few pest and disease problems. The only disease of any consequence is a fungal pathogen that causes a condition known as pecky heartwood rot. Wood infected by this fungus looks like it has been attacked by wood boring insects but it retains its strength and durability. The effect on cypress lumber is considered rustic when used as interior paneling and is referred to as pecky cypress.
Bald-cypress, in particular, may be defoliated by a leaf roller, which can reduce tree vigor and growth rate. Control may be warranted on smaller landscape specimens but is generally not practical on larger trees. Fall armyworms and various galls have also sometimes been reported on these trees.
Pecky Cypress is wood that has been attacked by a fungus. Photo courtesy Floridacypress.com |
Bald Cypress Fall webworms are an occasional issue with these trees in some areas of Florida. Photo: UF/IFAS Doug Caldwell |
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A larger threat to Cypress trees is the practice of harvesting natural stands of these trees to produce mulch for our landscapes. Originally Cypress mulch was a by-product of lumber products, but as the popularity of ground wood mulch increased, the demand for clear-cutting cypress domes increased. And along with the trees goes the airplants and habitat for wildlife.
A fallacy is that cypress mulch is resistant to rotting when used for mulch. This idea comes about since dense heartwood from cypress trees does resist decay. However, much of the mulch comes from the outer younger sapwood that is not nearly as resistant to decay. The average bag of cypress mulch is not likely to last much longer than any other kind of ground wood mulch.
Cypress trees are becoming more popular as folks discover there versatility as a landscape tree. In addition to their multi-faceted appeal and contribution to the Florida-look in the landscape, cypresses provide important habitats for many other species. A number of colorful epiphytes (air plants) such as bromeliads, orchids and ferns grow on their trunks and branches. The air plants and orchids cause no harm to cypress or other trees where they grow – they only take up space.
A recent news release from the University of Florida talks announced that a biological control measure (an insect) is combating an “evil weevil”. This beetle and its larva eat up many of these native bromeliads.
I’ve placed more information on our Okeechobee web page, http://okeechobee.ifas.ufl.edu. If you need additional information on Cypress trees, please email us at okeechobee@ifas.ufl.edu or call us at 863-763-6469. Local residents can stop by our office at 458 Hwy 98 North in Okeechobee, and visit our Okeechobee County Master Gardeners from 1 to 3 PM on Tuesday afternoons. GO GATORS!