Bald Cyprus Forest Now Growing in Oregon
Bald Cyprus is a deciduous tree with soft, green fern-like foliage that turns bronze in the fall. In its native habitat it can reach 100-120 feet in height. I first learned of Bald Cyprus’ unique ability to grow in standing water when I saw my Father, and the young man helping him with yard work, digging a hole in the swamp for a large B&B Bald Cyprus tree. The hole was filling up with water and I inquired as to how that tree would live. Father told me that the tree lived in swamps in the east.
I began to think about this tree and the swamp that is around the creek on the lower part of the farm, and thought I could grow a nice little forest there instead of the brush and weeds that were growing there; after all, we claim to be a tree farm! Because I was not able to find seedlings to buy, I purchased some seed and grew my own seedlings in the reforestation nursery I manage.
A reforestation project is not easy. The first challenge was the unwanted vegetation growing in the area. Non-native grass that was introduced by the pioneers for grazing, blackberry vines and willow had to be killed or removed. The willow clumps I pulled with my excavator or winched them to be pulled out with the Cat we use for logging.
My second hurtle was preventing deer from eating the tops so I protected them with netting. After getting the trees established, I lost some to mice girdling. Fortunately, I had some extra in pots to replant, which I fastened foil around to prevent the mice from snacking. Now that the trees made it past the rodents and deer they are really growing well. These trees now benefit the wildlife by providing nesting places for birds and shade for the stream which will potentially help trout that live in the stream.
Eighteen years later, I can appreciate my hard work with some trees pushing 25 feet. Sometimes I sit and just look at the trees because they are very beautiful.
In the future, if a person desires trees and their land is swampy, perhaps bald Cyprus will become an option for swampy ground in the west.
Dan Kintigh
