Taxodium MUCRONATUM

Taxodium MUCRONATUM - Mexican Cypress, Montezuma Bald Cypress, Ahuehuete, Montezuma Cypress.

Taxodium is a small genus of coniferous trees in the cypress family (Cupressaceae), comprising three species. All of them grow in North and Central America, along riverbanks, in swamps, and on floodplains.

The trees are very large and long-lived, with a straight trunk heavily widened at the base, and soft, light green needles arranged in two rows on lateral shoots.

The plants are monoecious, with male cones gathered in pendulous racemes, and female cones rounded, woody, 2-3 cm (0.8-1.2 in) across, breaking apart upon ripening. Most species of the genus form pneumatophores on waterlogged soils - respiratory roots protruding from the ground.

The Montezuma cypress grows in Mexico at elevations of 1,400-2,300 m (4,593-7,546 ft) above sea level, reaching south to Guatemala and north to Texas. It differs from bald cypress in that it does not form pneumatophores and sheds its branchlets in spring rather than autumn: in warm climates, the tree remains almost evergreen.

The average age of these trees is about 600 years, but individual specimens exceed two thousand years, reaching 40-50 m (131-164 ft) in height with a trunk diameter of up to 9 m (29.5 ft). The crown is broad, spreading, and becomes umbrella-shaped with age.

Taxodium seeds are enclosed in the resinous woody scales of the cone, which is broken apart before sowing. The seeds are rinsed in warm water to remove resin and soaked for 24-48 hours, preferably in a solution of a growth stimulant: SUPERthrive, HB-101, Aminosol, Epin, or Zircon. Stratification is mandatory: swollen seeds are kept in damp sand at 3-5 °C (37-41 °F) for 60-90 days.

Sowing is carried out in spring in a loose, moisture-retentive substrate of peat and sand to a depth of about 1 cm (0.4 in). The sowing is moistened with a spray bottle, covered with a transparent lid or placed in a greenhouse, and germinated in the light at a temperature of 18-24 °C (64-75 °F).

Seedlings emerge in 3-6 weeks, unevenly. The plantings are ventilated daily, condensation is removed, and the substrate is kept moist at all times. Seedlings grow quickly; pricking out into individual deep pots is carried out after the formation of 3-4 true needles.

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The plant needs the brightest possible location with direct sunlight; in summer, it is best kept outdoors.

A mature tree in open ground can withstand frosts down to approximately -12 °C (10 °F), while young plants are noticeably more delicate. In temperate regions, Montezuma cypress is kept in a tub with a bright, cool wintering period at 5-12 °C (41-54 °F).

Watering should be abundant and constant. Unlike most conifers, Taxodium tolerates waterlogging and even flooding, but does not forgive drying out of the root ball at all.

The substrate needs to be moisture-retentive, slightly acidic, with the addition of peat. Drainage is placed at the bottom of the pot, although a constantly moist drip tray does not harm this plant.

Feeding with a balanced complex fertilizer is applied once every three to four weeks from spring to mid-summer; nitrogen is excluded in the second half of the season.

Repotting is carried out in early spring, before growth begins. Formative pruning is well tolerated and is performed during the same period.