Root pruning. How is it done?

[danieltree]

Its the only tree I have worked around that does this, people go into the swamps and lakes and cut them off to use in flower arrangements. Cypress is pretty resilient and seems to be able to handle stuff that would kill most trees, they can even handle some salt water. As far as our soil goes it varies but there are numerous areas with extremely rich sandy loam soil that is well drained and the tree puts up knees there as well. My father has a Cypress knee that is 5 foot tall he uses to hang his coats on by the door. As far as it improving the looks of a yard it really is not about looks some people just like to be able to mow without hitting a root every time. these thing come up well outside the trees drip line. We just grind to just bellow the surface rake up the shavings, put down some river sand and let the grass take it over. Most people have st Augustine or centipede so it really isn't much of a problem. I always offer to build a bed around the knees first because that's more cash in my pocket and I really don't like doing anything to a tree but most customers insist on getting them out of there . As a side note the knees can also be dug up but that's pretty labor intensive and most don't care to pay for it.​

 

[rarefish383]

I agree with the landscaping idea. Here in MD that would be odd and interesting. Down your way it's probably just a royal pain in the butt.

I started to add earlier, what many people don't understand, is that you can actualy "Drown" a tree. But it didn't sound like that was the case here. Where most of our work was, too much water wasn't usually a problem. Some times folks would buy a species meant for a drier climate, then plant it in a low lying area with no drainage and lots of water. The tree would start to show signs of wilt, so they start watering. Some times we could transplant up hill in a spot with better drainage, but usually by the time we were called it was too late.

I'd love to see some of these "Knees", the bigger the better. Oh, and sorry for the damage they are doing to your yard, Joe.

 

[EdenT]

Its the only tree I have worked around that does this, people go into the swamps and lakes and cut them off to use in flower arrangements. Cypress is pretty resilient and seems to be able to handle stuff that would kill most trees, they can even handle some salt water. As far as our soil goes it varies but there are numerous areas with extremely rich sandy loam soil that is well drained and the tree puts up knees there as well. My father has a Cypress knee that is 5 foot tall he uses to hang his coats on by the door. As far as it improving the looks of a yard it really is not about looks some people just like to be able to mow without hitting a root every time. these thing come up well outside the trees drip line. We just grind to just bellow the surface rake up the shavings, put down some river sand and let the grass take it over. Most people have st Augustine or centipede so it really isn't much of a problem. I always offer to build a bed around the knees first because that's more cash in my pocket and I really don't like doing anything to a tree but most customers insist on getting them out of there . As a side note the knees can also be dug up but that's pretty labor intensive and most don't care to pay for it.​

Please please please put up a picture of your fathers knees and his cypress when you can.

Oh, and don't take that the wrong way.

 

[danieltree]

I think I wrote that wrong, The knee is in the house he got it out of the swamp when I was a kid. There are lots of pictures of cypress just Google it. most will be of swamps and lakes but you can see the knees. They really are a cool tree just not the best yard tree in my opinion.​

 

[EdenT]

I think I've read this whole thread wrong. I didn't realize we were discussing mangrove adapted tree's. Kudos to you for managing to get a lawn to grow in a swamp. Watch out for 'gators.

 

[pdqdl]

Bald cypress grow almost anywhere it doesn't get too cold. We plant them here in the midwest in areas of no drainage, places with heavy clay soil, and of course they do fine in good porous soils.

I don't think you could drown a bald cypress: they grow in standing water! I have seen them do fine in areas of poor drainage in heavy compacted soil too. Heat & drought don't seem to bother them much, either.

Obviously, they naturally compete with other forest trees best in the swamps and wet areas.