A Bald Cypress in the Floodplain

A bald cypress rises from calm water in Congaree National Park in South Carolina. Its wide trunk flares at the base, and parts of its roots stand above the water. Strands of Spanish moss hang from its branches. The still surface reflects the tree, but the forest around it is often changing.

Congaree protects a floodplain forest, a low-lying area beside a river that sometimes floods. After heavy rain, water from the Congaree River can spread across the forest floor. When the water recedes, or drains away, it leaves behind sediment: tiny bits of soil and other material. These deposits add nutrients to the forest soil.

Bald cypresses are well suited to wet places. Their roots can grow in flooded soil where many other trees struggle. Around some cypresses, woody growths called knees rise from the roots. Scientists are still studying exactly what these knees do. They may help support the trees in soft ground, but their full role is not settled.

Spanish moss is not actually a moss. It is a flowering plant that hangs from trees and takes in water and nutrients from the air and rain. It uses the cypress for support rather than stealing food from it.

The cypress also provides shelter for wildlife. Birds may nest among its branches, while animals such as frogs and fish use the surrounding water. In fall, the tree’s soft, needle-like leaves turn rusty brown and drop off. New leaves grow in spring. Through floods and changing seasons, the bald cypress remains part of a lively forest community.