Bald Cypress
About this species.
Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) is one of Florida's most distinctive and longest-lived native trees. Cousin of the redwood, deciduous despite its conifer family membership, hurricane-tough, and capable of living over 1,000 years. Florida's oldest documented native trees — the few thousand-year-old swamp cypresses still standing — are this species.
Identification
- Pyramidal-to-flat-topped silhouette; conical when young, more spreading and flat-topped with age.
- Feathery, soft, light-green deciduous needles arranged in flat sprays along the branchlets — NOT pine needles, NOT scaly like cedar.
- Reddish-brown fibrous, vertically furrowed bark — distinct from any pine or oak.
- Buttressed flared trunk base, more pronounced in wet sites.
- Distinctive woody 'knees' rising from the roots in standing water or saturated soil — diagnostic when present.
- Turns rusty copper-bronze in late fall, then drops needles for winter.
Where you'll see them
Native to Florida's cypress swamps, blackwater rivers, sloughs, and floodplain wetlands. Increasingly planted as a residential and HOA shade tree because of its hurricane wind resistance and tolerance for irrigated yards. Common in landscaped settings around lakes, golf-course water features, and stormwater ponds.
Florida-specific care
- Once established, extremely low-maintenance. Deep root system finds its own water.
- Will produce knees in saturated soil — usually not in dry-yard landscape plantings, but possible near irrigation or standing water.
- Deciduous — drops needles in late fall. Plan for that under the canopy.
- Tolerates both wet sites (cypress dome conditions) and well-drained residential soils.
- Pruning rarely needed beyond deadwood cleanup.
Hurricane behavior
Bald cypress consistently ranks at the top of UF/IFAS wind-resistance surveys. The flexible trunk bends in extreme wind; the deep wide-spreading root system holds firm. After major Florida hurricanes, mature bald cypresses are usually still standing when many species half their size are down.
What to know.
- High wind-resistance score — one of the better choices for Florida hurricane country.
Frequently asked.
Will my bald cypress grow 'knees' in my yard?
Only if the root zone stays saturated. Knees form in standing water or chronically wet soil. In a well-drained residential landscape, knees usually don't develop. If you have a planted bald cypress near an irrigated bed or stormwater feature, occasional knees are possible — they're benign.
How long can a bald cypress live?
Florida's oldest documented bald cypresses are over 2,000 years old. Typical mature specimens live 500–1,000 years. Planting a bald cypress is a multi-century investment in a way few residential tree decisions are.
Will it survive a hurricane?
Bald cypress is one of the best-performing species in hurricane wind tests. The flexible trunk, deep root system, and deciduous habit (some leaf-drop in extreme wind reduces sail area) combine to make it one of the most reliable storm survivors in Florida.
Services for bald cypresss.
The work we do on bald cypresss most often. Each card links straight to the service detail.