Taxodium mucronatumThe Montezuma Baldcypress is a beautiful, large aquatic tree known for its long, needle-like leaves, straight trunk, and broad crown adorned with spreading branches and drooping twigs. Typically evergreen, it might find cold climates a bit challenging. This tree is related to the Baldcypress found in the southeastern United States, T. distichum, which also thrives in Mexico. You'll notice its unique trunk, which flares out at the base with ridges above, sometimes showcasing tiny "knees" that peek out from its submerged roots. In Chapultepec Park, Mexico City, you can find some magnificent veterans of this species, possibly among the oldest cultivated trees in the New World, with some stretching over 600 years old and reaching an impressive height of 165 feet (50 m). The renowned Big Tree of Tule, located near Oaxaca, Mexico, is a remarkable spectacle formed by the fusion of three trees, boasting a trunk circumference of 112 feet (34 m) and a height of 141 feet (43 m). The Montezuma Cypress typically grows faster than the Bald Cypress in ideal conditions, and it displays a semi-deciduous character during winter months. However, it might experience some winter challenges if grown in Central Texas or further north. As a cone-bearing plant, its cones begin to open in February, with seeds maturing by October after blooming in March or April, ready to scatter with the ripening cones. Its graceful weeping form adds to its allure.Height: 50’-80'Spread 25’-35’Bloom: February-MarchLight: Full Sun-Part ShadeWater: HighZone: 8-11Origin: Texas
