Bald cypress
Taxodium distichum
A conifer that drops its needles and happily stands in wet ground.
Hardiness: zones 4 to 10
Light: full sun
Size: about 60 ft tall, 25 ft wide
From: SE United States
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.
Good for: wildlife.
Native to: Southeast, Midwest & Great Lakes, Great Plains & Texas. Hardy in zones 4 to 10.
The story
Bald cypress is the tree of southern swamps, standing in water on swollen trunks with woody knees rising around it. It is one of the few conifers that drop their needles, and some living trees are more than 2,000 years old.
Planting
Full sun. It thrives in wet ground but grows perfectly well in ordinary garden soil, and it is hardy much farther north than its home range.
Growing
Water in dry spells while young. It needs no pruning.
Harvest and use
Feathery green in summer and rust-orange in fall. Seeds feed ducks and squirrels, and the wood resists rot.
What to watch for
Knees come up in wet lawns. Needles yellow in alkaline soil.
See if Bald cypress fits your yard
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More native and wild plants
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home