I'd like to include cypress trees in my pond. I've often had the best luck fishing at the base of these trees. Where is the best place to position them in a pond with a 3/1 slope. Would I be able to grow them on the slope or only at the ponds edge? Also, are these pricey to buy from nurseries?

Sandman recently discussed cypress trees here

Theo
Thanks for the info from sandman. Greg Lafeet is having a lake built that will cover up an existing pond it has four cypress trees 10 feet tall. They will be in 3 feet of water. They will not be removed and replaced with this information.

OTTO

I buy them at the wholesale nurseries in Central LA for $7 or $8 each. I think they are 3 gallon, but I am not 100% sure. They are about 6 ft tall. Home Depot and Lowes sell them for the same price as all the other trees (I think about $17 or $18 each), which would probably be the same in your area. I can't garantee it, but my guess would be that they would do fine on a 3:1 slope, as long as you do a good job of planting them (make sure they are vertical, firmly bedded, and staked off) so that the roots are able to establish themselves. Just remember that the foliage must remain above the water.

Sandman

Thanks for the info. WE have decided not to try ans transplant the trees. This will be a true test and once the water level is full it will be at the limit of the foliage.

Pictures have been taken and records kept.

OTTO

Just a thought: Call/contact your state forestry/conservation service. From my Mo. forestry service in Jeffeson City, I bought a bundle of cypress trees (25 trees about 3 feet tall and 1/2" in diameter) for $12.00, plus $5.75 handling (UPS). I planted 10 around and in my new pond about 7 weeks ago and they have already grown about 3" each. From experience I know that a smaller tree, planted correctly to establish a good root system will be about the same size as a tree twice as tall within 5 years or so. It just takes a shorter period of time for transplant shock and the root system will establish itself faster and grow stronger and quicker. Just a thought????

Same results with small trees planted and the rate they grow.
The Cypress trees we left will be in about three feet of water.
Hope they live we will see.

I planted a Cypress in my backyard in Houston about 10 yrs ago...the growth rate was fast and it is at least 100' tall now. I planted two Cypress trees on the bank of my pond in central Texas about 5yrs ago...The growth rate of those trees is slow, they are growing in width faster than height. Just an observation, no point really....

Check out the Texas Forestry Service nursery website for cheaper sources of seedlings. Lots of other good forest and tree info on there, and it is run by Texas A&M. I am going to be planting a bunch of cypress this winter. Gonna try many locations and depths from dry land to a foot or two deep. Hopefully the pond level will be down so that I can try to plant a few further out. Cypress may not make it unless it can get established in dry soil. Established cypress can take submersion much better but will grow slowly, like Sgt911's Houston and pond tree differences. They also like well drained soils, so the clay that is needed for a pond will result in slow growth also. The place I am getting mine sells 25 seedlings for $40 which would allow you to try several depths and areas.

We had five store bought trees about five tall planted the same time a friend gave us five small coffee can size trees. The trees planted from seeds did a lot better.

My cypress trees are loaded with seeds this year. Do you let them fall from the tree then harvest them to plant. Do they need to dry for a time before planting them?

Now that I am home, here is my favorite link for cypress: University of Florida cypress site . It appears cypress is very hard to start from seed.