Mature treeCypress
Bald Cypress
Taxodium distichum
$3.75per seedling
In stock this season
Sold in groups of 10 — online orders are limited to 1,000 seedlings total.
Quick facts
- Mature size
- — 50–70 ft tall · 20–30 ft wide
- Growth speed
- — Medium — 1–2 ft of new growth a year
- Sunlight
- — Full sun (6+ hrs direct sun)
- Soil
- — Average / moist · Wet / occasionally flooded
- Good for
- — Reforestation & timber · Erosion control · Yard, shade & beauty · Streamside & wet areas
- Wildlife
- — Seeds feed wood ducks and wading birds; flooded root 'knees' harbor fish and amphibians.
About this species
Bald cypress is a distinctive deciduous conifer known for its feathery, bright green foliage and remarkable adaptability to wet environments. Commonly found in swamps, floodplains, and along waterways, it thrives in saturated soils and is famous for the “knees” it can produce—woody projections that rise from the roots and are thought to aid stability and gas exchange. Despite its association with southern wetlands, bald cypress grows well in Ohio when planted in moist, well-drained soils and full sun, making it a resilient choice for parks, large landscapes, and restoration projects. Its striking form, reddish-brown bark, and rich copper fall color add year-round interest, while its longevity and durability make it a valuable tree for both ecological and ornamental purposes.
Planting notes
At home in standing water and pond edges, yet grows fine in average yard soil too. It sheds its needles every fall — that's normal, not a dying tree.