Baldcypress, << bahld SY pruhs, >> is a cone-bearing tree with pale green, feathery leaves. It grows in wet areas and swamplands of the United States from Texas to New Jersey. It is a large tree, often with a fluted, tapering base. The roots of the tree produce growths called knees that protrude above the water. The knees provide air for the roots. The crowns of young trees are shaped like a narrow pyramid, but old trees are flat-topped. Unlike most conifers, the baldcypress sheds its leaves each year. The wood is durable. The baldcypress is the state tree of Louisiana.
