Crow's Nest: Definitely not Crow's Nest

Last weekend Denise and I went camping in southern Delaware, at Trap Pond State Park. This is the most northern natural occurrence of bald cypress, Taxodium distichum, although it is hardy well into New York. (Botanists think that this is one of many species that was pushed south by glaciation and is still re-colonizing its northern territory—or would be if the habitat was still available.) Here Bailey is modeling next to the bald cypress "knees"—poorly understood structures that may give support to the tree in saturated soils.

This was my first visit to these swamps, though I've also seen bald cypress in Corkscrew Swamp in Florida and many individual trees in the planted landscape. (Bald cypress makes a sturdy urban tree even in dry sites, in part because its roots can tolerate relatively air-less compacted soils.)

I was as excited to see this native plant growing in its natural habitat as I was when I first arrived at Crow's Nest years ago. I had seen cardinal flower, butterfly weed, and blazing star grown as ornamentals in gardens but was thrilled to see them growing here naturally. While it is important to cultivate communities of native plants in our yards it is also critical to save the places where they grow naturally.