Bald Cypress

It can reach 144 feet in height and can live up to 600 years. A feature that it is really known for is its “knees”, these are not knees like ours but rather a special kind of root. They grow from horizontal roots just below the surface and protrude upward from the ground or water. Since they often grow in swampy conditions, its thought that the pneumatophores function to transport air to drowned roots underground. They might also help to anchor the tree.

In USA, the tallest known individual specimen is near Williamsburg, Virginia, and the stoutest known in the Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge near Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The oldest known specimen is located in Bladen County, North Carolina and is over 1,620 years old, making it one of the oldest living plants in eastern North America.