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Description:

Stately tree that can be used as an accent of texture and form; narrow bright green leaves turn coppery in fall, shaggy bark is reddish-brown; good tree for a wet site

Growing Place Choice Plants

Our Growing Place Choice plants are chosen because they are strong performers year after year, staying attractive with less maintenance when planted in the right place.

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Ornamental Features

Baldcypress is primarily valued in the landscape for its distinctively pyramidal habit of growth. It has emerald green deciduous foliage. The ferny bipinnately compound leaves turn an outstanding orange in the fall. The shaggy antique red bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape.

Landscape Attributes

Baldcypress is a deciduous tree with a strong central leader and a distinctive and refined pyramidal form. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which can make it a great accent feature on this basis alone.

This is a relatively low maintenance tree, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Baldcypress is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Shade
• Vertical Accent

Planting & Growing

Baldcypress will grow to be about 70 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 30 feet. It has a high canopy with a typical clearance of 7 feet from the ground, and should not be planted underneath power lines. As it matures, the lower branches of this tree can be strategically removed to create a high enough canopy to support unobstructed human traffic underneath. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 80 years or more.

This tree should only be grown in full sunlight. It is an amazingly adaptable plant, tolerating both dry conditions and even some standing water. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for acidic soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This species is native to parts of North America.