Taxodium distichum

Taxodium is from a Greek word meaning “yew-like;” distichum means “two-ranked” and refers to the leaves. The bark of the bald cypress has been used to make cords and ropes. Because the wood is highly resistant to rot, it is valuable and used to construct structures that are exposed to wet conditions. Some bald cypress trees in the southern U.S. have been reported to be 1,200 years old. The bald cypress is listed as threatened in the state of Indiana. Taxodium distichum is native to the U.S. and is in the Cupressaceae (cypress) family. 
Photo Credit: © John J. Mosesso http://life.nbii.gov
Taxodium distichum
Common Name: bald cypress
Other Common Names: baldcypress
Other Scientific Names: Taxodium ascendens
Plant Functional Group: Deciduous conifer
Class > Order > Family: Pinopsida > Pinales > Cupressaceae
What does the species look like?

Taxodium distichum is a perennial, deciduous, coniferous tree that can reach 100 to 150 feet in height. The crown of the tree is irregular, broad, and spreading. The branches are brown, and often covered with gray Spanish moss. The bark of the bald cypress is brown, thin, and fibrous, and often peels in strips. Leaves are needlelike, pale green, and turn an orangish-brown before they drop in the fall. Blooms are purple and are monoecious with separate male (pollen) and female (seed) cones. Mature trees develop brown seed cones with scales near the end of their branches. Bald cypress also develops root-like "knees" when grown in wet areas.

Bald cypress usually grows in wetlands along running streams, lakes, and swamps with clayey or fine sandy soils at elevations about 100 feet above sea level. It prefers sun, but can tolerate some shade. Bald cypress can also tolerate cold conditions.   

The seeds of bald cypress are eaten by wild turkey, wood ducks, grosbeaks, and squirrels. Other bird species use the branches of bald cypress for foraging. Some species of birds, including bald eagles, use the tops of the tree for nesting. Bald cypress is also the larval host for the baldcypress sphinx moth.
Where is the species found?
States & Provinces
AL, AR, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, MD, MO, MS, NC, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV
Special Considerations for Observing

This species has separate male (pollen) and female (seed) cones. 
Which phenophases should I observe?
Do you see...?
Needles Breaking needle buds
One or more breaking needle buds are visible on the plant. A needle bud is considered "breaking" once a green needle tip is visible at the end of the bud, but before the first needle from the bud has unfolded and spread away at an angle from the developing stem, or from other needles in a bundle.
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How many buds are breaking?

  • Less than 3
  • 3 to 10
  • 11 to 100
  • 101 to 1,000
  • 1,001 to 10,000
  • More than 10,000
Needles
One or more live, unfolded needles are visible on the plant. A needle is considered "unfolded" once it begins to spread away at an angle from the developing stem enough that its point of attachment to the stem is visible, or from other needles in a bundle so that it is no longer pressed flat against them. Do not include fully dried or dead needles.
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What percentage of the potential canopy space is full with needles? Ignore dead branches in your estimate of potential canopy space.

  • Less than 5%
  • 5-24%
  • 25-49%
  • 50-74%
  • 75-94%
  • 95% or more
Colored needles
One or more needles show some of their typical late-season color, or yellow or brown due to drought or other stresses. Do not include small spots of color due to minor needle damage, or dieback on branches that have broken. Do not include fully dried or dead needles that remain on the plant.
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What percentage of the potential canopy space is full with non-green needle color? Ignore dead branches in your estimate of potential canopy space.

  • Less than 5%
  • 5-24%
  • 25-49%
  • 50-74%
  • 75-94%
  • 95% or more
Falling needles
One or more needles with typical late-season color, or yellow or brown due to other stresses, are falling or have recently fallen from the plant. Do not include fully dried or dead needles that remain on the plant for many days before falling.
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Pollen cones Pollen cones
One or more fresh, male pollen cones (strobili) are visible on the plant. Cones have overlapping scales that are initially tightly closed, then spread apart to open the cone and release pollen. Include cones that are unopened or open, but do not include wilted or dried cones that have already released all of their pollen.
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How many fresh pollen cones are present?

  • Less than 3
  • 3 to 10
  • 11 to 100
  • 101 to 1,000
  • 1,001 to 10,000
  • More than 10,000
Open pollen cones
One or more open, fresh, male pollen cones (strobili) are visible on the plant. Cones are considered "open" when the scales have spread apart to release pollen. Do not include wilted or dried cones that have already released all of their pollen.

What percentage of all fresh pollen cones (unopened plus open) on the plant are open?

  • Less than 5%
  • 5-24%
  • 25-49%
  • 50-74%
  • 75-94%
  • 95% or more
Pollen release
One or more male cones (strobili) on the plant release visible pollen grains when gently shaken or blown into your palm or onto a dark surface.
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How much pollen is released?

  • Little: Only a few grains are released.
  • Some: Many grains are released.
  • Lots: A layer of pollen covers your palm, or a cloud of pollen can be seen in the air when the wind blows

Seed cones Unripe seed cones
One or more unripe, female seed cones are visible on the plant. For Taxodium distichum, an unripe seed cone is green, grayish or brown with scales closed together.
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How many seed cones are unripe?

  • Less than 3
  • 3 to 10
  • 11 to 100
  • 101 to 1,000
  • 1,001 to 10,000
  • More than 10,000
Ripe seed cones
One or more ripe, female seed cones are visible on the plant. For Taxodium distichum, a seed cone is considered ripe when it has turned brown and the scales have begun to spread apart to expose the seeds inside. Do not include empty cones that have already dropped all of their seeds.
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How many seed cones are ripe?

  • Less than 3
  • 3 to 10
  • 11 to 100
  • 101 to 1,000
  • 1,001 to 10,000
  • More than 10,000
Recent cone or seed drop
One or more seed cones or seeds have dropped or been removed from the plant since your last visit. Do not include empty seed cones that had long ago dropped all of their seeds but remained on the plant.
More...

How many seed cones have dropped seeds or have completely dropped or been removed from the plant since your last visit?

  • Less than 3
  • 3 to 10
  • 11 to 100
  • 101 to 1,000
  • 1,001 to 10,000
  • More than 10,000
What do these phenophases look like?

The following Phenophase Photo Guides for this species have been vetted for accuracy by the USA-NPN National Coordinating Office. Most photo guides are developed for a particular local or regional monitoring effort, and some of the content may not apply to your effort or your region. However, we make them available to provide as much help as they may in illustrating phenophases for this species. If you have high quality phenophase photos that you are willing to share with us, please visit the Phenophase Photo Guidelines page.

Be aware there is variation from individual to individual within a species, especially across different regions, so your plant may not look exactly like the one pictured.

Since they do not always include complete definitions for the species, use these photo guides ONLY in conjunction with the official Nature's Notebook phenophase defintions included in the table above, in the phenophase definition sheet that downloads with the datasheet, or in the Observe screen in the mobile app.

USDA PLANTS profile for bald cypress (USDA Symbol: TADI2 )