National Champion Bald Cypress and some other giant and ancient specimens

[Eric in Orlando]

Saturday my girlfriend and I went on a hike through Spring Hammock Preserve. It is 1500 acres of preserved land along Soldier Creek and on the west side of Lake Jessup. It is located about 20 miles north of Orlando between Longwood and Lake Mary. Saturday was a good day to go, it was sunny, mid 80's and the bugs weren't bad yet. Also, many of the deciduous trees are just leafing out so you can still see giant trees and palms before the forest becomes very dense.

Its a very cool and neat wilderness nestled inbetween urban sprawl. Most of the preserve is hydric forest, wet hammock or cypress swamp. On the estern side as you approach the lake it gets swampier and Bald Cypress begin to appear. There are some of the largest bald cypress in Florida located here including the National Champion in nearby Big Tree Park. These cypress are ancient giants and magnificent.

Here are some of the giant and ancient specimens of Bald Cypress, <i>Taxodium distichum </i>growing in Spring Hammock Preserve.

This first one is known as "The Senator" and is growing in Big Tree Park in a seperate location of Spring Hammock Preserve. Despite what the sign says, it is believed to be 1500 years old, not 3500. This is the Champion Bald Cypress in FL and the country

[Eric in Orlando]

me at the base for scale

and this is "Lady Liberty", another tree nearby almost as big

[Eric in Orlando]

and some other giant an ancient Bald Cypress along the trail in SHP and near the west side of Lake Jessup. This cypress forest was logged in decades past and these giants were left because they had "flaws"; big cavities, crooked trunk, etc.

This one is supposedly one of the other oldest and largest in FL

[Eric in Orlando]

A Sabal palmetto had sprouted on the base of this one

[Eric in Orlando]

while they are bare some of these resemble Baobab trees

[Eric in Orlando]

the knees around these giants were incredible, some were 5-6ft tall, the tallest cypress knees I have ever seen

[Eric in Orlando]

[Eric in Orlando]

this one had a huge cavity way up the trunk, big enough for a black bear to climb in

and another with a large cavity

[Eric in Orlando]

[Eric in Orlando]

[Brad-Tampa]

Beautiful old specimen cypress, so rare to find old growth trees. Thanks Eric, I am going to check those out sometime.

Brad

[Peter]

Awesome. And loved the comparison to a baobob-very apt.

[_Rich]

Great visuals Eric and definitely somewhere I will add to my 'must see' list. My first thought was that these were the redwoods of FL - although I've never been in the redwood forest. Probably not a very good comparison - but those are most impressive none the less. Thanks again for the great pics!

Rich

[BS Man about Palms]

Amazing! Thanks for the post!

[palmmermaid]

Eric,

Thanks for the great pictures. Amazing old trees.

I grew up around cypress swamps and just feel at home in them. Very peaceful and calming for me.

[Eric in Orlando]

Beautiful old specimen cypress, so rare to find old growth trees. Thanks Eric, I am going to check those out sometime.

Brad

Definitely worth a walk through !

[Eric in Orlando]

Great visuals Eric and definitely somewhere I will add to my 'must see' list. My first thought was that these were the redwoods of FL - although I've never been in the redwood forest. Probably not a very good comparison - but those are most impressive none the less. Thanks again for the great pics!

Rich

Actually not far off, our cypress are more of a "redwood" than cypress. True cypress belong to the genus Cupressus, Taxodium is much more closely related to Sequoia than Cupressus.

[Geoff]

Interesting... just saw one of these yesterday, too, in Southern California... also an old tree (over 50 years)... but a tad shorter.

[Central Floridave]

cool shots. that bonzai is really cool looking. thanks.

[fastfeat]

Great pics Eric!

[BigFrond]

Awesome! That fenced in one is pretty big and fat.

[Eric in Orlando]

Thanks !!!

That bonsai is awesome !!!

[JasonD]

Great visuals Eric and definitely somewhere I will add to my 'must see' list. My first thought was that these were the redwoods of FL - although I've never been in the redwood forest. Probably not a very good comparison - but those are most impressive none the less. Thanks again for the great pics!

Rich

Actually not far off, our cypress are more of a "redwood" than cypress. True cypress belong to the genus Cupressus, Taxodium is much more closely related to Sequoia than Cupressus.

These giant Taxodiums do look something like redwoods and especially giant sequoias, at least in their profile and fatness. Color, no. Definite family resemblance.

[Kumar]

Beautiful photos, Eric - as usual. I fell off my chair on seeingyour subjects!

[spockvr6]

me at the base for scale

Dang! With a person in the photo for scale WHOA!