Family: Taxodiaceae

Montezuma Bald Cypress is found from the Rio Grande River south to Guatemala, although it is uncommon to rare in Texas. The main difference between Montezuma Bald Cypress and Baldcypress is that Montezuma Baldcypress is evergreen and the male flowers are borne in long racemes, whereas common Baldcypress is deciduous and the male flowers are in short clusters. It has been said that the extreme southern part of the state is the northernmost of its range and it has difficulty surviving winters farther north than San Antonio. However, there is one growing and doing very well in Plano Texas on the Frito National National Headquarters. See photo below.

Evergreen – Sun                 Ht. 80 – 140 feet                       Spacing 25’-45’

HABIT: Large, graceful semi- evergreen to deciduous tree that sheds all its leaves as the new ones emerge in the spring. CULTURE:      Drought resistant but also tolerates wet soils along waterways. More tolerant of alkaline soil than bald cypress.

FOLIAGE:  Alternate, grayer than bald cypress.

FLOWERS:  Inconspicusous and not showy; spring flowering.

FRUIT:  Oval; round, female cones are 1 – 3 inches that are dry or hard.

RECOMMENDED ZONES:  7 – 10

RANGE:  Guatemala to southern Texas.

PROPAGATION:  Seeds.

USES:  Shade tree or specimen in expansive areas.

PROBLEMS:   Very few if planted and maintained properly.

Bald Cypress - knees

Montezuma Cypress - no knees


NOTES:  The Tree of Tule, south of the city of Oaxaca in Mexico is one of the biggest and most spectacular trees in the world.  It is over 140 feet tall, its trunk measuring more than 50 feet in diameter.  One of the cypress in the group in front of the Frito Lay Headquarters in Plano, Texas is apparently a Montezuma cypress.  It is almost evergreen and has significantly outgrown the other bald cypresses How it got mixed in with the other regular bald cypress trees is a mystery.  But, I’m glad it’s there because it has shown that this tree is more cold tolerant than everyone thought.  It appears to be well suited for north Texas and similar climates and should be used more.

The other botanical names is Taxodium distichum car. Mexicanum.  Who knows how old this tree is, but 2000 years is probably a conservative guess.