Taxodium distichum | Swamp Cypress

Native to the Everglades of Southern America, the Taxodium distichum is a large, deciduous conifer introduced to the UK in the 1600's. This tree has a narrow, pyramidal shape that widens on maturity to a width of 8-10m. The bark is a distinctive, fibrous reddish-brown. The soft, bright green, feathery needle-like leaves appear in spring, then turn an eye-catching brick red in autumn to rust brown before falling. Small, round seed cones appear in April. Purple-green in colour, they ripen to brown in October. This is a very hardy tree that thrives in wet sites and will adapt to a wide range of soil types whether wet, salty, dry or swampy. When growing in or near water, mature specimens produce roots that protrude above the ground like stalagmites, known as 'knees'. These roots can reach a width of 30cm and a height of 1m. Often planted alongside lakes and wet areas with space to grow, the Taxodium distichum is a magnificent specimen tree.