This deciduous conifer forms a conical habit when young becoming a broad dome when older. The soft green leaves are fern-like turning brown in autumn and the buttress trunk has deeply fissured reddish bark with roots that develop pneumatophores.  

Hardiness zones 5 to 10

Taxodium distichum is naturally found in the swamp areas of southern North America growing in moderately to poorly drained wet acidic soils and produces large knee-like pneumatophores. It prefers a semi-shaded position that is protected from strong winds and is frost resistant but drought tender.

Swamp Cypress is grown for its habit and is planted in large gardens or parks as a specimen tree for shade and autumn colour. It is also used in moist positions along water courses. This is a long-lived tree that is slow growing and may reach 4m (12ft) in 10 years and is suitable for coastal regions. 

A feature of the Swamp Cypress is the softwood that produces a sour smell with hart wood that is blackish and is rot resistant when wet. The timber is used for construction of water tanks and glasshouses or used in moist situations. 

This unusual deciduous conifer and may be identified during winter by the alternate buds at the top of the branchlets scars. The pneumatophores normally appear in soils that are wet or where inundated occurs. ID 254

Taxodium (tax-O-dee-um) distichum (DIS-ti-kum)

“Taxodium”, from Latin taxus, the yew tree; “distichum”, from Latin distichus, “in two rows” - referring to the opposing leaves on the branchlets. “heterophylla”, from Greek hetero, “varied” or dissimilar”, + phyllus, “leaf” - referring to the variable leaf shape.

Cupressaceae (kew-press-AY-see-ee)
Coniferous Trees