hydrophyte
Member
- Joined
- 22 Aug 2009
- Messages
- 1,051
Montezuma Cypress
I am testing out a pretty cool new plant as a riparium subject, Montezuma cypress (Taxodium mucronatum). This coniferous tree is a close relative of bald cypress (T. distichum), but it has a more southerly distribution, occurring from Southernmost Texas, through various areas in Mexico and in Northern Guatemala. Bald cypress grows in Florida and other states in the Southeastern US.
Because of their cold winter dormancy requirements, most temperate region trees and shrubs, such as bald cypress, are probably poor choices for keeping in ripariums and similar setups or as bonsai. Montezuma cypress is more like a subtropical plant, so it might be OK in an indoor planting year-round.
I addition to the different geographic distribution, Montezuma cypress also uses somewhat different habitats as compared to bald cypress, preferring riverbanks and floodplains over permanently-inundated swamps. Montezuma cypress is also usually evergreen, whereas bald cypress drops its needles every year during its winter dormancy. Montezuma cypress does not develop cypress "knees" and it also has a more weeping foliage habit. It can grow to be one of the most massive trees on earth (Árbol del Tule - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) but it is supposed to be pretty easy to train as bonsai.
I placed an order for a potted nursery plant that should be here late next week. I hope that I will be able to fit it into a riparium planter. I also started some seeds--the seeds germinate readily--and I have a couple-dozen little sprouts. I am going to plant some of these directly in riparium planters as well.
I'll have more pictures on the way.
(Wikimedia Commons image: File:Taxodium mucronatum1.jpg - Wikimedia Commons)
I am testing out a pretty cool new plant as a riparium subject, Montezuma cypress (Taxodium mucronatum). This coniferous tree is a close relative of bald cypress (T. distichum), but it has a more southerly distribution, occurring from Southernmost Texas, through various areas in Mexico and in Northern Guatemala. Bald cypress grows in Florida and other states in the Southeastern US.
Because of their cold winter dormancy requirements, most temperate region trees and shrubs, such as bald cypress, are probably poor choices for keeping in ripariums and similar setups or as bonsai. Montezuma cypress is more like a subtropical plant, so it might be OK in an indoor planting year-round.
I addition to the different geographic distribution, Montezuma cypress also uses somewhat different habitats as compared to bald cypress, preferring riverbanks and floodplains over permanently-inundated swamps. Montezuma cypress is also usually evergreen, whereas bald cypress drops its needles every year during its winter dormancy. Montezuma cypress does not develop cypress "knees" and it also has a more weeping foliage habit. It can grow to be one of the most massive trees on earth (Árbol del Tule - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) but it is supposed to be pretty easy to train as bonsai.
I placed an order for a potted nursery plant that should be here late next week. I hope that I will be able to fit it into a riparium planter. I also started some seeds--the seeds germinate readily--and I have a couple-dozen little sprouts. I am going to plant some of these directly in riparium planters as well.
I'll have more pictures on the way.
(Wikimedia Commons image: File:Taxodium mucronatum1.jpg - Wikimedia Commons)