Planting under Bald Cypress?

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Rose1656 Oquawka, IL(Zone 5a) Mar 06, 2008

Can anyone tell me if perennials will do well under a bald cypress? I'm not sure of the roots. Do they have a tap root, or do they fan out like a maple? I don't want to start digging around and cause damage to the tree.

Thanks,
Rose

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HoosierGreen Danville, IN Mar 06, 2008

Mine seem to have both a tap root and roots that fan out. Also, even here in the Midwest, bald cypresses will develop those cool "knees", although not as prominent as in the South. I don't think you'd have too much soil depth to plant some types of perennials, but I also don't think you'd have to worry about damaging roots if you planted shallow rooted ones such as iris. How large is your tree and how wet is the area. I have Siberian iris 'Caesar's Brother" all around one of my cypress trees that is about a foot in diameter, with small knees, in a very wet area. They all are thriving.

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Rose1656 Oquawka, IL(Zone 5a) Mar 06, 2008

The tree is probably 15' tall, and planted in sand. I water it on a regular basis. Not really wet where we live. I was thinking about planting hostas under it, but will have to look elsewhere for shade! Thanks for your answer.

Rose

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HoosierGreen Danville, IN Mar 06, 2008

If it's really sandy soil, hostas would suffer. For plants in dry shade, any of the perennial geraniums would do well, as will myrtle and lamiums. (Hostas are supposed to be tolerant of dry once established, but I bet they would look ratty pretty quickly without moisture.) Good luck.

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Herby_Canopy Indianapolis, IN Mar 10, 2008

That are "knees"?

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HoosierGreen Danville, IN Mar 10, 2008

Bald cypresses develop "knees" when planted in water or very wet soils. They don't develop them on dry ground, although the tree will grow just fine out of water. The knees are the weird growths that arise from the roots at the base of the tree. In the south, they can get to be several feet in height, but farther north they are usually smaller except for very old trees in swampy areas like in extreme Southwestern Indiana. It used to be thought that the knees were aids in the trees getting oxygen, but it's now thought that there is no connection with the tree's respiration.

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Herby_Canopy Indianapolis, IN Mar 10, 2008

Oh, I know just what you are talking about now. Thanks.

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