Hortus Botanicus Leiden, Netherlands

Common name: Moerascipres, Swamp cypress, Bald cypress

Family: Cupressaceae (Cypress familiy)

Distribution: SE-US

Hardiness: Zone 06

Life form: Conifer

Comments: This tree is native to the south and southeast of the United States and was planted before 1860. This conifer is unusual in that its needles fall off in autumn. The bald cypress can grow up to around 30-50 metres tall, with a pyramidal growth habit. The trunk has a stringy bark with a red-brown colour. The needles are feather-like and slender; the long shoots remain on the tree. The short shoots are shorter and fall off together with the narrow light-green needles.
The male inflorescences are catkins, pendent, and grow up to 12 cm in length. The female inflorescences are on the same tree; they are solitary and much smaller. These small cones are oval-round, 3-4 cm large and wart-like. They fall apart when they ripen; the seeds that are released are light brown, 5-6 mm.