Old growth Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum). Growing up to 120 feet tall with a trunk 3 to 6 feet in diameter, bald cypresses are frequently referred to as giants. They are native to the southeastern United States and Gulf Coast, being well-adapted to wet conditions along riverbanks and swamps. This particular tree is hundreds of years old and is several feet in diameter.
'Knee' of Bald Cypress. This feature with what bald cypresses are really known for. The technical term is Pneumatophore, which means 'air-bearing', and is a special kind of root. Pneumatophores grow from horizontal roots just below the surface and protrude upward from the ground or water. Bald cypresses often grow in swampy conditions, and it
A Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) stands at the edge of the Lake Woodlands spillway which flows into Panther Branch below. The genus name 'Actitis' is from Ancient Greek aktites, "coast-dweller". This bird species is common to the U.S. Gulf Coast and can be found not only along coastal shores, but several miles inland. They are commonly seen scurrying about picking up small insects and other bits of food along the shallow waters edge.
