Taxodium distichum 'CASCADE FALLS'^®

Bald cypress is one of the few trees that love not just moist but also wet places which makes them ideal for locations with bad or non existent drainage with lots of water remaining after rainfalls, or for lake and river banks. They are long-lived trees, the species can live 500 years or so. They were originally found in swampy forests or by river margins from S.E. USA to Guatemala. Currently there are a few varieties in the market suitable for small or even tiny gardens.

Cascade Falls is an exciting new variety of bald cypress. It is a novelty from New Zealand, patented in the USA under PP12,296 in 1999. Its eye-catching feature are its pendent branches forming several cascades from the top of the graft. It is a deciduous conifer with bright green, linear leaves. If you trim its long new growths it will form more cascades in the upper part of the tree and become denser. The ultimate height is defined by the height of the rootstock. The branches if left untrimmed will soon touch the ground.

Bald cypress will grow in any moist or wet soil, preferably acidic in full sun or partial shade. They may become chlorotic in chalky soil which they will manifest by yellow leaves. Well established plants are surprisingly drought tolerant. Pruning can be done before spring on dwarf varieties. Pendent forms may be trimmed in early spring and again in early summer for denser habit, but not necessarily. Fully hardy to min. -29°C (USDA zone 5).

Last update 13-07-2008