Did you know that Mississippi is home to more than 2,700 native plant species? These include ferns, nonvascular plants, and more than 2,400 flowering plants and approximately 200 species of trees. Pines make up the majority of individual trees while the oaks and hickories make up the most species in a family, approximately 34. If we continue the breakdown of species, one will find sweet gum, black gum, red maple, American sycamore, and others. Common trees found in the understory include the flowering dogwood, eastern redbud, sassafras, magnolia, and others. If you wade deep into the swamps, you will surely find those species that flourish in water and moist soils, these primarily are tupelo gum and bald cypress. To say we are “rich” in flora and tree species is an understatement.
If you had to pick, which species of tree would be your favorite? Without exception, my mother’s favorite species would be dogwood. Oh, how she loved the spring bloom, especially if it coincided with Easter. I know folks who search the woods up and down looking for pawpaw trees to produce the sweet jelly that everyone is familiar with. At least I hope you’re aware of this delicacy. Others dote on the magnolias in bloom with the appealing aromatic blossoms. For me, I must admit I’m torn between several. I love the white oak species, especially during fall when they are dropping thumb sized acorns to the forest floor, of course for obvious reasons. I am especially partial to a particular hickory that I have perched in for decades while watching for cruising bucks during the winter. However, if I must pick one, it would probably be the mammoth bald cypress trees that stood stoically, deep in the sloughs and in the swamps.
The bald cypress, Taxodium distichum, is a deciduous conifer native to the southeastern United States and Texas. As a disclaimer, this species has also been found as far north as Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.
Bald cypress trees growing in swamps and sloughs have a peculiarity of growth called “knees.” These are woody structures that arise from the root system and protrude above the ground or water. It is unclear of the function of these knees, but it was once thought to provide oxygen to the roots due to the trees growing in water or anerobic soils. Evidence documenting this is sparse, and a more accepted function of the knees is to provide structural support and stabilization for the tree. Cypress trees growing in flood-prone sites may form buttressed bases, usually beginning at the soil surface and extending up to the maximum flooding elevation. This “jaggedness” in the trunk and a strong root system aid them in resisting strong winds. I’m sure you have seen the “rippled’ effect on the trees. Now you know the purpose.
The needle-like leaves are green during the growing season but turn yellow to russet-red in autumn. The tree is monoecious, meaning it has both male and female cones on a single plant. When the seeds ripen, they drop to the ground or water. Seeds will not germinate in water but as the soil dries, germination occurs in spring. Squirrels are fond of the cones and help disseminate seeds too. Additionally, flooding aids in the spreading of seeds as they move with the flowing water being deposited along creeks, sloughs, tributaries, and rivers. The trees grow in full sunlight to partial shade. Almost any soil will sustain this species as long as the crown remains above the water for most of the growing season.
Ancient bald cypress forests, with some trees are estimated at 200 years old, once dominated the swamps in the Southeast. The species is highly desirable for lumber, and cypress forests were indiscriminately cut for centuries. The wood is very durable and is aesthetically pleasing. These attributes fetch a premium price for those who use it for building.
The largest remaining old-growth stands are at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in Florida and in the Three Sisters tract in eastern North Carolina along the Black River. In 1985, the Black River site revealed trees that began growing as early as 364 AD. A subsequent visit by a dendrologist from the University of Arkansas revealed a tree dating by its “ring count” back to 605 BC, ranking it as the ninth oldest tree in the world.
In 2012 scuba divers discovered an underwater cypress forest several miles off the coast of Mobile. The forest contains trees that could not be dated with radiocarbon methods, indicating they were more than 50,000 years old. These trees most likely lived in the early glacial interval of the last ice age. It is worth noting that when samples were cut from this site, they still smelled like fresh cypress. I bet these trees would also fetch a pretty penny.
The National Champion Bald Cypress is recognized as the largest member of its species in the country and is listed as such on the National Register of Champion Trees. The National Champion is in the Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge near St. Francisville, Louisiana. It is 96 feet tall, 56 feet in circumference, and is estimated to be around 1,500 years old. The oldest known living specimen is along the Black River in North Carolina, and is estimated at least 2,624 years old, and credited as the oldest living tree in eastern North America.
Mississippi can hold her own and is not left out of the record-book tree statistics. Our State Champion Bald Cypress is located near Belzoni in the Sky Lake Wildlife Management Area. This tree stands around 70 feet tall and measures 46 feet, nine inches in circumference and around 15 feet in diameter. The tree is recognized by the Mississippi Forestry Commission as the state’s largest tree. Another notable tree within this grove is referred to as The Hollow Giant. This hollow tree escaped logging in the 1930s due to natural structural defects. There are numerous other large-girth specimens scattered across Sky Lake’s 700 acres of wetlands and many of these trees are estimated to be 1,000-2,000 years old, and measuring multiple feet across. I did get wind of another bald cypress in Holmes County that is reported to be even larger and older than the one in Sky Lake WMA, however I haven’t been able to definitively document its whereabouts. Maybe someone could follow up with me if you know more details on this one. I’d sure love to see it.
I am sure you now know why I am fascinated with the bald cypress and the history that lies within this species. Can you imagine what they must have looked like centuries ago? One thing is for certain, I’m glad many of these ancient monarchs escaped the crosscut saw. I only wish more of them could have been spared. I invite you to take a trip to the swamp and stand next to these behemoth trees. Dive into the history of these trees. If you find a special one, please send photos, I would love to see them. Until next time enjoy our woods and waters and remember, let’s leave it better than we found it. jeff.north@northag.net
