Falling Waters Baldcypress
Taxodium distichum 'Falling Waters'
Height: 20 feet
Spread: 10 feet
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 5
Description:
A unique variety with a strongly weeping, columnar habit off a central leader, narrow bright green leaves turn copper-yellow in fall; a real standout for any landscape; best used as a solitary or as a larger accent in the garden; tolerates standing water
Ornamental Features
Falling Waters Baldcypress is primarily valued in the landscape for its highly ornamental weeping form. It has emerald green deciduous foliage. The ferny bipinnately compound leaves turn an outstanding coppery-bronze in the fall. The shaggy antique red bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape.
Landscape Attributes
Falling Waters Baldcypress is an open deciduous tree with a strong central leader and a rounded form and gracefully weeping branches. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which can make it a great accent feature on this basis alone.
This is a relatively low maintenance tree, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Falling Waters Baldcypress is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Accent
- Vertical Accent
Planting & Growing
Falling Waters Baldcypress will grow to be about 20 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 10 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 60 years or more.
This tree should only be grown in full sunlight. It is an amazingly adaptable plant, tolerating both dry conditions and even some standing water. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for acidic soils, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selection of a native North American species.
