A tall, slender, straight tree which grows throughout most of the Interior.

Leaves

This tree has fine, soft-green, pointed needles on flattened branches. Needles turn dark blue-green in maturity and hold color during the winter. They are aromatic when bruised.

Cones

The fruit is round; less than 1/2 inch; dry and hard.

Bark

It displays rather attractive reddish brown, fibrous bark.

Habitat

Most cypress trees are natives of the South. They are found primarily in wet, swampy areas along the Atlantic Coastal Plain from Delaware to Florida, and west along the Gulf of Mexico to the border of Texas and Mexico. Cypress also thrives along the Mississippi Valley from the Louisiana delta to southern Indiana.
Cypress roots love water. Some trees growing on wet sites develop what are called cypress knees or pneumatophores. The knee-like upright growths come from the roots, helping to support the tree and also to aerate the waterlogged root system. The wood from the knees is soft and light and can be used to make vases and novelty items.

Uses

Exterior: siding, shutters, shingles, trim, fence posts. Interior: paneling, moulding, millwork, cabinetry, flooring, furniture.

Notes

Cypress trees are conifers, but unlike most American softwoods, these are deciduous trees that shed foilage in the fall like hardwoods.
Although cypress is a softwood, it grows alongside hardwoods and traditionally has been grouped and manufactured with hardwoods.
The oils in cypress' heartwood make it one of the most durable woods when exposed to moisture conditions causing decay.