Swamp Cypress Family (Taxodiaceae)

The swamp cypress family is more formally called the Taxodiaceae. This is a family of coniferous trees within the Gymnosperms, that is, plants which produce naked seeds (not in a fruit) borne on scales. These scales are usually arranged to form a cone.

Within the Taxodiaceae some species are evergreen, and some deciduous. There are nine genera which contain 16 species. These can be found in temperate and subtropical regions, in both the Old and New Worlds. Only one genus is represented in the Southern Hemisphere. Most of these are fast growing trees which can achieve a large size and an impressive age. Some members of this group have been known to be 3,000 years old.