29 May 08 Cypress Knees

The Cypress Knee is part of the root system of the Bald Cypress Tree. They have been studied for years, but their exact function is still unknown.

They seem to grown in the presence of water. The deeper the water the bigger the knee. Trees that are growing on dry ground seldom have any knees – perhaps just a few small ones.

It is thought they might help in providing oxygen to the tree, and help anchor the tree in soft swampy mud.

They grow up to around seven feet tall in the deeper water.

Tags: anchor, bald cypress tree, Beidler, Beidler forest, cypress knee, deeper water, exact function, knees, mud, oxygen, presence, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, root system, trees