PLANT FINDER
Cave Hill Baldcypress
Taxodium distichum 'Cave Hill'
Height: 4 feet
Spread: 6 feet
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 5a
Description:
A truly unique deciduous conifer; dark green foliage and a dense rounded habit, narrow leaves turn deep orange in fall; a real standout for any landscape; best used as a solitary or as a larger accent in the garden; tolerates standing water
Ornamental Features
Cave Hill Baldcypress is a dwarf conifer which is primarily valued in the landscape or garden for its interestingly mounded form. It has dark green deciduous foliage. The ferny bipinnately compound leaves turn an outstanding orange in the fall. The shaggy antique red bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape.
Landscape Attributes
Cave Hill Baldcypress is a dense multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a mounded form. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which can make it a great accent feature on this basis alone.
This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Cave Hill Baldcypress is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Accent
- Rock/Alpine Gardens
- General Garden Use
- Container Planting
Planting & Growing
Cave Hill Baldcypress will grow to be about 4 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. It has a low canopy. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 60 years or more.
This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It is an amazingly adaptable plant, tolerating both dry conditions and even some standing water. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for acidic soils, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selection of a native North American species.
Cave Hill Baldcypress makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
Characteristics
Applications
Ornamental Features