Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Water Trees, How Much do they Drink?

I'm considering planting some Bald Cypress, possibly 10 of them. 5 on each end of a 1/2 acre pond. I do not have much drainage into the pond and I am concerned how much water they actually soak up in a months or years time?

I dunno how much they drink, but they're beautiful tress. I don't think they'll add too much organic "stuff". Hope not, as I planted on right next to my second pond 2 years ago.. 8^)

PL, IIRC bald cypress are deciduous and will contribute alot of spent vegetation to pond as they get older. if yer aerating that might not be a problem. as for water consumption, i dont know for sure, but would guess they use less than willows but would still use increasing amounts as they mature and grow their "knees". being back in indiana (you get summer rain.....i dont) you might be ok....it would be the kiss of death for me. in any case, if you have enough summer water to keep yer pond reasonably full, they will be beautiful.

i tried planting some below my dam in creekbed, but the deer got them before they could get established.

I don't think they have much effect on a well constructed pond with adequate watershed.

Several years ago my parents planted several dozen around one of the ponds on their farm. (The pond is roughly an acre, but it does have quite a bit of watershed) Some of the trees are starting to get pretty big now and there hasn't been any difference in water levels since they were planted.

Eric

I don't know a lot about that tree. However, it seems to me that a water loving tree ought to have one heckuva root system. That ought to be part of natures survival process. I believe I would research this pretty thoroughly.

Depends on how and where you plant them. Bald cypress use as much water as they can get. When first planted, after the last spring freeze, they need lots of water to establish good roots. They can withstand several months of flooding, but don't mind some dry time, too. That's why the do so well in swamps. Swamps rise and fall. Cypress trees like that lifestyle. We have some planted in the town square of Whitesboro, Texas, in the middle of downtown. City workers water them from time to time, but they grow in a small patch of dirt in the median of Main Street. So, they can do without as much water as they mature, but grow much better with plentiful water. If you plant them in the upper reaches of your pond, they will consume more water when the pond is full, less as the level drops. I would choose them.

i'm not sure if i want to plant them right next to the pond or not, still debating.

That still begs the question as to how much water they use. I have a one acre pond with 8 bald cypress trees which are in the water year round. During this recent dry spell my pond lost more water than a neighbor's pool did. The pool is less than 100 yards away from the pond and does not have any shade over it, but it still only lost about an inch over a weeks time while my pond lost several inches. My pond does not leak so am assuming the cypress trees were drinking a lot of water each day to make up the difference.

I planted 2 at the water line. Water rose 18". A week later a nutria or beaver chewed them off below the water...one survived for now. Lesson learned...

I have 5 bald cypress on my property - two on my pond. The ones on the pond certainly fair better than those off the pond. I have irrigation to the others so I hit them hard with water. The two I have do not have any impact on my water level that I can tell. For me they are the number one most beautiful tree on earth. Slow growing but I ain't planning on going anywhere so I enjoy watching them slowly grow more beautiful