Bald cypress tree forms

[BillsBayou]

These trees are in a lake that is managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers. The lake is currently drained for deer hunting. During the Spring, the lake is flooded for duck season. I don't know the depth of the lake when it is flooded. Fall is not optimum collecting weather, but sometimes you can only collect trees when you can collect trees.

Flooding this deep and often has had an interesting effect on the trees. Here are some shots of forms I don't often get to see close up.

As close as you can get to the bed in a 2WD vehicle. Even with a 4x4 ATV, you stay close to the tree line. That is some serious muck out there.


Bottle trunk bald cypress


Large base, but not tall. Water has stunted these trees.


Another bottle


Close up detail. Carving can replicate this effect.


Guardians. Do not approach.


Dam! Beavers!


Instant bonsai forest next to a honey locust tree.


I could teach several workshops with these trees.


Rotted trunk. I collected this one.


Only 10' tall. I love the base.


Winch died. Used a rope attached to the ATV for tension. Winch death is likely due to me doing the installation.


One man's swamp is another man's lawn.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Bill, those are nice examples of bald cypress you posted. Thank you.

Only in the spirit of expanding this thread, I have photos from the Lower Cache River taken probably 25 years ago now. The photos are in "my media" in my profile. Most of the trees in the photos are bald cypress. It was a December canoe trip, leafless trees and no snakes. Much easier to navigate. One tree in particular is believed to be 1300 years old. The cypress tend to be in age cohorts, majority of the trees in a stand or a "cypress dome" will all be from seed germinated the same year. On the Cache River, there was only one remaining of the 1300 year old group, a few dozen right around 800 or 850 years old, then a couple hundred around 400 years, then a large group of thousands that was about 100 years old. There would be large gaps in age distributions, the naturalist that was our canoe guide did not have a good explanation as to why. Climate too cold for seedlings to get through their first years? Seed sprout late, an early freeze could be trouble. Anyway, enjoy the photos in the link.

Media added by Leo in N E Illinois

The most popular Bonsai Community in the WORLD!

www.bonsainut.com