Where to Find Cypress Trees

Bald cypress trees thrive in shallow swamp water.

There are different variations of cypress trees. They are often found in wetlands but can thrive in drier ground, too. The environmental factors will basically dictate where a particular tree may be found growing.

Climates

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) climate zones are guides that classify where and how a plant may exist in varying climates. Swamp-loving cypress trees thrive in zones 4 through 10, while pond growing varieties prefer the warmer zones 6 through 10.

Swamps

Back-country swamp cypress

Bald cypress thrive in brackish, lazy or stagnant waters. They are common in Louisiana and regions of southern Georgia, Mississippi and Florida. However, the trees can survive as far north as Indiana and Wisconsin.

Backwaters

Stagnant backwaters off of river banks and tributaries form their own swampy, undisturbed environmental conditions differing from surrounding areas. This encourages trees such as bald cypress to thrive. Tennessee's Reelfoot Lake is an example of this environment.

Ponds

The pond cypress, a close cousin to bald cypress, "grows near shallow ponds as far west as southeast Louisiana," according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Landscaping

Cypress in non-swamp countryside

The Leyland and Italian cypress are fast-growing trees often used in residential landscaping as a natural privacy screen or wind break. They can be used in this environment as they do not require wetland conditions.

References

• U.S. Forest Service: Bald Cypress
• State History Guides: Bald Cypress
• Fast Growing Trees Nursery: Leyland Cypress