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Taxodium distichum
  • Swamp Cypress

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Taxodium genus in the family Taxodiaceae.

248px
Niche
  • Canopy
    Canopy
    There are no details available for this niche.
Functions
  • None
    None
    There are no functions defined for this plant. Do you know of some? Click the edit button to add them!
Light
  • Full sun
    Full sun
    The amount of sun exposure that a plant prefers in ideal conditions.
    Key
  • light shade
    Light shade
    The amount of shade a plant will tolerate without adverse health affects.
    Key
Water
  • Water Requirementsaquatic
    Aquatic
    The amount of water a plant needs for healthy growth, relative to other plants.
    Key
Soil
  • acid,neutral,alkaline,very alkaline
    Unknown
    The PH range (acidity or alkilinity) of the growth medium ideal for healthy nutrient absorbtion.
    Key
  • Sandy to Clay
    The soil texture this plant prefers for optimal growth.
    Key
Cold & Heat
  • 6
    Zone 6
    The USDA Hardiness scale assigns plants a number from 1 to 12 representing the minimum temperature a plant can survive.
    Key
    0< -53.9ºC< -65ºF
    1-51.1ºC-60ºF
    2-45.6ºC-50F
    3-40ºC-40ºF
    4-34.4ºC-30ºF
    5-28.9ºC-20ºF
    6-23.3ºC-10ºF
    7-17.8ºC0ºF
    8-12.2C10ºF
    9-6.7ºC20ºF
    10-1.1ºC30ºF
    114.4ºC40ºF
    12> 10ºC> 5ºF
  • ?
    Unknown
    The AHS Heat scale assigns plants a number from 1 to 12 representing the number of days per year a plant requires a temperature exceeding 30ºC (86ºF).
    Key
    11
    21 - 7
    38 - 14
    415 - 30
    531 - 45
    646 - 60
    761 - 90
    891 - 120
    9121 - 150
    10151 - 180
    11181 - 210
    12181 - 210
Taxodium distichum has 0 material uses listed
Taxodium distichum has 0 medicinal uses listed

Uses

Edible uses

There are no edible uses listed for Taxodium distichum.

Material uses

The bark has been used to make cordage[1]. Wood - light, soft, not strong, moderately hard, easily worked, straight grained, very durable in damp soil, takes a good polish. It weighs 28lb per cubic foot[2]. The wood is not given to excessive warping or shrinking[2], it is used for construction, water pipes, vats etc[3][4][5][6][7][8][2].

Unknown part

Fibre
Wood

Medicinal uses(Warning!)

The resin in the cones is used as an analgesic for wounds[7][2].

Unknown part

Analgesic

Ecology

Ecosystem niche/layer

Canopy

Ecological Functions

Nothing listed.

Forage

Nothing listed.

Shelter

Nothing listed.

Propagation

Seed - sow late winter in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.

If sowing a lot of seed you could sow it in early spring in an outdoor seedbed[9]. Allow the plants to grow on in the seedbed for two years and then plant them into their permanent positions in late autumn or early spring.

Cuttings in the late summer.

Practical Plants is currently lacking information on propagation instructions of Taxodium distichum. Help us fill in the blanks! Edit this page to add your knowledge.



Cultivation

Although this plant can be grown in wet soils and shallow water, it thrives in any soil and trees actually grow faster in normal unflooded soils[10]. Established plants succeed in standing water up to 60cm deep[11] - in such a situation the roots develop 'knees', curious cone-shaped structures that grow above the ground[2]. Tolerates the high pH of chalk streams[11]. Tolerates atmospheric pollution[11].

Fairly cold-tolerant, but branches can be damaged by temperatures below -10°c[11]. A fairly vigorous tree, it can grow up to 45cm in a year with up to 4cm increase in girth[12]. It has been planted for its timber in S. Europe, especially on alluvial soils[13]. Buds often begin to break in March, but trees do not come properly into leaf until June and growth in height rarely starts before June[12]. A very healthy species in Britain, rarely seen in anything but good health. It seems to be a very long-lived tree in this country with several specimens more than 250 years old[12]. Trees are thought to live for over 1,000 years in the wild[2]. Plants grow best in areas with warm summers[11]. They only produce fertile seeds after long hot summers[11]. The branches are brittle and subject to wind damage, but the tree usually recovers well[10].

Unlike most conifers, this species responds well to coppicing[10].

Crops

Problems, pests & diseases

Associations & Interactions

There are no interactions listed for Taxodium distichum. Do you know of an interaction that should be listed here? edit this page to add it.

Polycultures & Guilds

There are no polycultures listed which include Taxodium distichum.

Descendants

Cultivars

Varieties

None listed.

Subspecies

None listed.

Full Data

This table shows all the data stored for this plant.

Taxonomy
Binomial name
Taxodium distichum
Genus
Taxodium
Family
Taxodiaceae
Imported References
Edible uses
Medicinal uses
[7][2]
Material uses & Functions
[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]
Botanic
[14][15][11]
Propagation
Cultivation
Environment
Cultivation
Uses
Edible uses
None listed.
Material uses
None listed.
Medicinal uses
None listed.
Functions & Nature
Functions
Provides forage for
Provides shelter for
Environment
Hardiness Zone
6
Heat Zone
?
Water
aquatic
Sun
full sun
Shade
light shade
Soil PH
acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
Soil Texture
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil Water Retention
Environmental Tolerances
  • Salinity
Ecosystems
Native Climate Zones
None listed.
Adapted Climate Zones
None listed.
Native Geographical Range
None listed.
Native Environment
None listed.
Ecosystem Niche
Canopy
Root Zone Tendancy
None listed.
Life
Deciduous or Evergreen
deciduous
Herbaceous or Woody
woody
Life Cycle
perennial
Growth Rate
vigorous
Mature Size
30 x 8 meters
Fertility
?
Pollinators
Wind
Flower Colour
?
Flower Type
monoecious

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"image:Taxodium-distichum-habit.JPG|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki. "image:Taxodium-distichum-habit.JPG|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.


"image:Taxodium-distichum-habit.JPG|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

"image:Taxodium-distichum-habit.JPG|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

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References

  1. ? 1.01.1 Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. ISBN 0-88192-453-9 (1998-00-00)
  2. ? 2.02.12.22.32.42.52.62.7 Vines. R.A. Trees of North Texas University of Texas Press. ISBN 0292780206 (1982-00-00)
  3. ? 3.03.1 F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press (1951-00-00)
  4. ? 4.04.1 Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim (1959-00-00)
  5. ? 5.05.1 Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable ISBN 0094579202 (1974-00-00)
  6. ? 6.06.1 Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. ISBN 0-486-20278-X (1965-00-00)
  7. ? 7.07.17.27.3 Vines. R. A. Trees of Central Texas. University of Texas Press ISBN 0-292-78958-3 (1987-00-00)
  8. ? 8.08.1 Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press (1952-00-00)
  9. ? Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co (1948-00-00)
  10. ? 10.010.110.2 Rushforth. K. Conifers. Christopher Helm ISBN 0-7470-2801-X (1987-00-00)
  11. ? 11.011.111.211.311.411.511.6 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (1992-00-00)
  12. ? 12.012.112.2 Mitchell. A. F. Conifers in the British Isles. HMSO ISBN 0-11-710012-9 (1975-00-00)
  13. ? ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press (1964-00-00)
  14. ? Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named PFAFimport-11
  15. ? Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. (1950-00-00)

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Retrieved from "https://practicalplants.org/w/index.php?title=Taxodium_distichum&oldid=81221"
Facts about "Taxodium distichum"RDF feed
Article is incompleteYes +
Article requires citationsNo +
Article requires cleanupYes +
Belongs to familyTaxodiaceae +
Belongs to genusTaxodium +
Has binomial nameTaxodium distichum +
Has common nameSwamp Cypress +
Has drought toleranceIntolerant +
Has environmental toleranceSalinity +
Has fertility typeWind +
Has flowers of typeMonoecious +
Has growth rateVigorous +
Has hardiness zone6 +
Has imageTaxodium-distichum-habit.JPG +
Has lifecycle typePerennial +
Has material partUnknown part +
Has material useFibre + and Wood +
Has mature height30 +
Has mature width8 +
Has medicinal partUnknown part +
Has medicinal useAnalgesic +
Has primary imageTaxodium-distichum-habit.JPG +
Has salinity toleranceTolerant +
Has search nametaxodium distichum + and swamp cypress +
Has shade toleranceLight shade +
Has soil ph preferenceAcid +, Neutral +, Alkaline + and Very alkaline +
Has soil texture preferenceSandy +, Loamy + and Clay +
Has sun preferenceFull sun +
Has taxonomic rankSpecies +
Has taxonomy nameTaxodium distichum +
Has water requirementsaquatic +
Inhabits ecosystem nicheCanopy +
Is deciduous or evergreenDeciduous +
Is herbaceous or woodyWoody +
Is taxonomy typeSpecies +
PFAF cultivation notes migratedNo +
PFAF edible use notes migratedYes +
PFAF material use notes migratedNo +
PFAF medicinal use notes migratedNo +
PFAF propagation notes migratedNo +
PFAF toxicity notes migratedYes +
Tolerates nutritionally poor soilNo +
Uses mature size measurement unitMeters +
Has subobjectThis property is a special property in this wiki.Taxodium distichum +, Taxodium distichum + and Taxodium distichum +