You will see several names given to trees and forest stands that grow in the coastal wetlands of Louisiana. Forest stands are often named for their most common tree species. Sometimes areas of wetland forest in Louisiana are referred to as cypress-tupelo stands. This name refers to forest areas where the most common trees may include some combination of bald or pond cypress and water or swamp tupelo. The names baldcypress and pondcypress as single words are used to indicate that they are actually not true cypresses. They are instead relatives of the familiar redwood with similar foliage and cones. You may also see their names spelled as two words, bald cypress and pond cypress.
(This article was published in the spring 2006 issue of Louisiana Agriculture.) |