Bold Cypress and Tupelo Trees in the swamps of Atchafalaya River Basin. Caddo, Martin and Fousse Lakes. Texas/Louisiana, USA.
Sentinels of Swamps
Rising tall from dark, murky waters, the bald cypress tree is a stately symbol of the swamp. Associated with the bayou, Spanish moss, pelicans, egrets and alligators, the bald cypress is the state tree of Louisiana. Its feathery foliage, wide and buttressed base and irregular crown dominate many southeastern wetlands, and its range extends throughout the southeastern U.S. from southern Delaware to eastern Texas. Bald cypress are often found growing with another type of swamp loving tree, the tupelo. Cypress is one of the few conifers that lose its needles in the winter and the bare trunks and branches present a more haunted feeling. There is always something different to see in the swamp. Just imagine the fog-engulfed swamp with the knobby knees of bald cypresses sticking out the water and Spanish Moss, transforming the trees into an arboreal versions of mysterious shaggy creatures.
