How to Grow a Bald Cypress Tree From Seeds

The stately and picturesque Bald Cypress is a deciduous conifer, native to the Southeastern United States. Although the Bald Cypress is typically associated with swampy habitats, it is not limited to them. In cultivation the species does very well in parks and yards and can make a fabulous bonsai specimen. Fast-growing, the tree can reach well over 100 feet in height at maturity. A number of these magnificent trees exceed 4,000 years of age.

Bald cypress seeds exhibit a moderate amount of dormancy that can be overcome by the placing of seeds in damp sand or sawdust or peat moss in order to promote germination (Stratification).

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bald cypress seeds
• Vermiculite (alternately you can use sand, sawdust or peat moss)
• Sealable Plastic Bags
• Styrofoam cups
• Water
• Refrigerator
• Potting soil

1. Mature, dry cones can be picked by hand from standing or felled trees and spread in a thin layer for air-drying. The dried cones should be broken apart by flailing. The seeds should be cleaned of any additional material (fruit pulp, leaf and seed-pod fragments, cone scales, etc), but the shells of nuts should not be removed.

2. Moisten an adequate amount of vermiculite to place the seeds in. you will need to use at least three times the amount of vermiculite as seeds. It is important to only slightly dampen the vermiculite, as excessive moisture can cause the seeds to grow moldy in the bag. As such, err on the side of drier rather than wetter. To give an idea, it should not be possible to squeeze any dripping water out of the vermiculite.

3. Place the seeds in a sealed plastic bag with moistened vermiculite and refrigerate it (ideally 1 degree C to 3 degree C; not freezing)

4. After 90 days, remove the bag from the refrigerator and separate the seeds from the vermiculite.

5. Obtain disposable Styrofoam cups and poke holes in the bottom for drainage. fill the cup with good quality potting soil 2/3 way to the top.

6. Place the seeds in the soil 1/4 to 1/2 in below the surface. Place the cups in well ventilated area that receives moderate amount of sunlight.

7. When the seeds germinate, the embryo elongates so that the seed leaves are carried above the soil to form the first leaves of the new plant. Keep the soil moist until ready to plant.

Tips & Warnings

• Use of a fungicide to moisten your stratifying vermiculite will help prevent fungal diseases. This should be used as stipulated by the fungicide manufacturer.
• Peat moss use often leads to fungus growing on the seeds, particularly if too much moisture and/or no fungicide has been applied. The fungus can either kill the seeds or attack the emerging root.
• Most seedlings, whether grown in pots or beds, benefit from good air circulation which discourages fungus growth and promotes sturdy stems.
• Potting and germinating medium/soil is not critical as long as the soil is light as well as lightly firmed down but not heavily compacted.