Baldcypress (Taxodium distichum)
A Deciduous Conifer with Intrigue!
- Hardiness Range: 4 to 9
- Height: 50’ to 70’
- Spread: 20’ to 45’
- Exposure: Full Sun
- Fall Color: Orange/Cinnamon-Brown
Why We Love It:
Baldcypress is a pyramidal deciduous conifer that adds an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape. It has narrow, bright green fern-like leaves. Come fall, the feathery leaves turn a stunning orange/cinnamon-brown before they are shed.
Baldcypress is a unique tree that can provide shade and serve as a striking focal point in the yard. It has shaggy red bark and a flared, broad trunk. If planted in an area that receives some standing water, it can develop knobby root growth (“knees”) that protrude above the waterline around the tree.
Know Before You Plant:
Baldcypress is native to swamps, bayous, rivers and coastal areas, and it can be grown with success in southeast Wisconsin as long as the soil and water conditions are suitable. This tree is adaptable to fluctuations in moisture, and can thrive in saturated soils with seasonal standing water.
It is important to note that these trees prefer a more acidic soil (most of Waukesha County is very alkaline!). As such, Baldcypress can be susceptible to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage if grown in soils where the pH is too high.
Where It Thrives:
Baldcypress does best when planted in full sun and is a great selection for planting in wetter soils, either in low spots or near water. It has striking bark, form, and foliage: the trifecta for a unique specimen tree!
