The Genus Taxodium - Lockerly Arboretum

Volume 2, Issue 15
May 20, 2011
The Genus Taxodium
Two species of Taxodium, T. ascendens and T. distichum,
are native to the Southeastern United States, and they are both
deciduous trees that that can add interest to Georgia landscapes.
Both of these trees are typically found growing in wet areas in
their native habitat, but they are adaptable and can be grown in
drier soils with sufficient irrigation.
Table of Contents
Taxodium
pg. 1
Washington Co.
Students
pg. 2
Taxodium ascendens, or Pond Cypress, is found growing
along streams and swamps in the coastal plain from Virginia to
Florida and west as far as Louisiana. It will reach up to 50 ft.
in the landscape, but can grow taller in the wild. The national
champion, in Newton, GA, is 135 ft. tall. The habit is narrowly
conical, and the foliage is fine-textured. The trunk is perfectly straight, giving the tree a distinctly upright appearance. The
T. ascendens
bright green leaves are arranged in branchlets that ascend stiffly
from the twigs. In autumn the foliage turns an attractive shade of rusty orange. This
species is not widely available in the trade, but it is a We have planted a specimen
of this species at the entrance to the Lockerly parking lot, where it seems to be quite
happy. There are a couple of cultivars of this species available. ‘Nutans’ is a columnar selection with somewhat pendulous branches. ‘Prairie Sentinel’ is a narrow
cultivar with shorter branches than the species.
Taxodium distichum, or Baldcypress, is a stately tree that is found in swamps
from Delaware to Florida, up the Mississippi River valley, and west as far as Texas.
It is a large tree that can easily grow 50 feet tall in landscape settings, where it can
provide a decided accent in texture and form. It can be particularly effective when
planted in groupings, and it always looks appropriate alongside a body of water.
T. distichum ‘Autumn Gold’
There is considerable genetic variation within this species, and the habit can range from columnar to conical to rounded.
Old trees generally develop an irregular, broad spreading crown. The fine textured pinnately compound leaves emerge as
a soft green in spring that matures to a sage-green in summer and turns a russet-orange in autumn. Baldcypress are very
adaptable but require full sun and an acidic soil to do their best. There are several good cultivars of this tree available, and
perhaps the best one is ‘Autumn Gold’. We have planted a nice specimen of this cultivar in our Conifer Reference Garden
and are very pleased with its refined habit and look forward to seeing its outstanding display of golden fall color. Some
other cultivars of merit include ‘Cascade Falls’, ‘Heritage’, and ‘Shawnee Brave’.
Washington Co. Students
Lots of school groups have
visited Lockerly this spring, and this week
we welcomed first graders from Washington
County for a full day of fun at the arboretum. This is the second year the Washington
County students have visited, and there were
about 240 students attending in three groups.
The young students were engaged in a
number of outdoor activities, and the
weather was perfect!
Our Education
Director, Greg Eilers, conducted programs
with the assistance of Ruth Eilers and several
GS&SU students. Activities included greenhouse activities, and learning about
macro-invertebrates, magnetism, and
the weather. Greg was also assisted
by intern Joe Tanner, who will be
working with us throughout the
summer. Joe is a biology major at
GC&SU, and we welcome his
participation in our educational
programs. We hope everyone had a
great day exploring the Arboretum,
and we hope you all have a great
summer!