Re: deciduous conifer
- To: woodyplants@mallorn.com
- Subject: Re: deciduous conifer
- From: M* A*
- Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 00:20:44 -0300
At 12:36 16/12/98 -0600, you wrote:
>We have two lovely trees in our yard, conifers with the unusual habit of
>dropping all their needles every fall. Over the years I've heard them
>referred to as firs, cypresses, larches, cedars, but no one really seems
>to know what they are.
>
>They are large trees, with all the needles off they form a perfect
>pyramid shape with the bare branches. The needles are soft, less than an
>inch long, medium green, and the look of the tree is slightly "weeping"
>when the needles are there. At one point when I was trying to identify
>them I noted that the needles weren't in clusters but carried singly up
>and down the branches. "Cones" are perfectly round balls, green with a
>piney scent, about 2" across. "Bloom" (not showy flowers, obviously)
>comes very early in spring before the needles emerge. Bark is grayish and
>scales off some, with reddish wood underneath. All the needles turn rust
>color in fall before they drop.
>
>Any ideas on identification would be appreciated, as the third one of
>these sheared off in a freak windstorm and I wouldn't mind getting
>another. Thanks!
>
> Mary
> SW MO, zone 6
Hi Mary!
I think they are Taxodium distichum. The shape of the tree, their leaves (as
pinnates) and fruits, the rough bark and red wood, the leaves' color in
summer and fall (they drop late in winter) are very close to your
description. They grow well by the shore, even with their roots under water.
U.S. native, Gulf of Mexico.
Marcelo
Mar del Plata
Argentina
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@mallorn.com with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE WOODYPLANTS
