Knees of Bald Cypress

This is the bottom of a bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) tree. The native habitat of the bald cypress is wetlands and swamps, but it will grow in your front yard as well if you plant it there. When it is in soil that is waterlogged most of the time the roots will grow up out of the ground to form these curious knees that you see here by the stream. If you want to see this plant it is next to the McCormick Road parking lot leading to Purdue Horticulture Park. This picture was taken April 5, 2009.

link to cypress knee

link to Taxodium distichum

Although this is a coniferous tree, it is not evergreen. It loses its leaves in the fall just like a maple tree does. Sometimes people cut down bald cypress in the winter thinking that it is a dead pine tree. It's not dead! Don't cut it down, know what kind of tree you have in your yard.