Montezuma Cypress

The Montezuma cypress is a deciduous, coniferous tree found from Central America to the Southern parts of North America where it generally grows next to water bodies. Known to develop huge trunks, the Montezuma cypress is a fairly hardy plant not affected by common diseases.

Scientific Classification

Kingdom	Plantae
Division	Pinophyta
Class	Pinopsida
Order	Pinales
Family	Cupressaceae
Genus	Taxodium
Scientific Name	Taxodium mucronatum

Quick Information

Also Known As	Montezuma bald cypress, Mexican Cypress; sabino, ahuehuete, ciprés, pénjamu, Ciprés de los Panatanos [Spanish]
Similar To	Bald cypress, Pond cypress
Size	130ft (40m) tall; trunk diameter of 3.3-9.9ft (1-3.1m)
Leaves (Needles)	Arranged spirally, twisted at the base; 0.39-0.79in (1-2cm) long, 0.039-0.079in (1-2mm) broad
Flowers	Inconspicuous
Fruits (Cones)	Ovoid; female cones are dry and hard, measuring 1-3 inches in length
Tree Type	Evergreen or Semi-evergreen
Distribution	From Southern Texas in the US through Mexico down to the Northern part of Guatemala
Hardiness Zone	6-10
Lifespan	Long-lived
Growth Rate	Fast
Growing Conditions	Summer Conditions:  Dry summers with constant water requirement Soil: Clay loam, sandy loam, medium loam, sandy, clay; wet and moist Light Requirement: Part shade Water Requirement: High
Diseases and Pests	None
Flowering Season	Spring
Seed Production	Seeds mature in October
Seedling Development	Seeds germinate quicker with ample moisture, less so during drier months
Propagation	With seeds and cutting
Wildlife Value	Nesting site for many animal species, seeds are devoured by many small animals, especially rabbits
Cultivars	Weeper Montezuma cypress
Uses	As an ornamental or as a shade tree; wood used to make furniture and house beams; the Aztecs used its resin to treat ulcer, gout, and toothache
IUCN Conservation Status	Least Concern

Interesting Facts

• The ‘El Árbol del Tule’ Montezuma cypress in Oaxaca state of Mexico is believed to be between 1,433-1,600 years. It has the thickest tree trunk in the world.
• The Montezuma cypress is the national tree of Mexico.
• The weeping form of Montezuma cypress was introduced by Dan Hosage in the year 1992.

References:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxodium_mucronatum
2. https://www.conifers.org/cu/Taxodium_mucronatum.php
3. http://texastreeid.tamu.edu/content/TreeDetails/?id=122
4. https://www.onlineplantguide.com/Plant-Details/2615/
5. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/34029/2840943