Common Names:   Baldcypress Cypress Pond cypress Red cypress Southern cypress Yellow cypress Louisiana red cypress White cypress Gulf cypress Swamp cypress Tidewater red cypress Black cypress Buck cypress Cow cypress Purchase Cypress

Mechanical Values

Environmental Profile
Baldcypress is reported to be rather widespread, abundant, and secure globally, although it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery (Source - The Nature Conservancy - Rank of relative endangerment based primarily on the number of occurrences of the species globally).

Distribution
Baldcypress is reported to be distributed in Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, New York, Oklahoma, Illinois, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Indiana. The tree prefers very wet, swampy soils of riverbanks and floodplain lakes that are sometimes submerged. It is often found in pure stands, but may also grow alongside hardwoods.

Product Sources
It is currently unknown whether some material from this species is available from sustainably managed, salvaged, recycled, or other environmentally responsible sources. 

Tree Data
This large, acquatic, and deciduous tree is reported to mature to a height of about 100 to 120 feet (30 to 37 m), with a trunk diameter of 36 to 60 inches (90 to 150 cm). Baldcypress trees are reported to be well-known ornamentals, but are also commercially valuable.

Sapwood Color
The sapwood is pale yellowish white, and it merges gradually into the heartwood.

Heartwood Color
The heartwood is reported to be variable in color, with some wood featuring lighter streaks on a darker background. The color usually ranges from yellowish to light or dark brown, reddish brown, or almost black. Material from trees growing in the southern swamps is reported to be darker in color than that from trees growing farther north on drier lands. 

Grain
The grain is normally straight, and may be even or uneven.

Texture
Texture is described as coarse, and oil from the tree is reported to impart a greasy feel to the wood.

Odor
Natural oil produced by the tree is reported to give freshly-milled wood a sour or rancid odor. The odor is reported to have very little effect on food products that come in contact with the wood.

Ease of Drying
Green cypress wood is reported to be usually high in moisture content and requires care and extra time to kiln-dry, compared to other softwoods.

Drying Defects
Drying defects that may occur in this species include chemical brown stains (Young growth Baldcypress), water pockets and end-checks. These defects are associated with the presence of wood extractives.

Kiln Schedules
T13 - E3 (4/4); T11 - D2 (8/4) US
Schedule K (4/4) United Kingdom

T/R Ratio
1.50
This indicator is more meaningful if it is used together with other drying information and actual shrinkage data in the tangential and radial directions. (Refer to the Numerical Values window).

Natural Durability
The heartwood is reported to be have high natural resistance to decay.

Resistance to Impregnation
The heartwood is reported to be moderately resistant to impregnation. 

Painting
The timber is reported to take paint very well. It is regarded as an economical wood to finish because of its high paint retention.

Strength Properties
Bending strength in the air-dry condition is medium. It also has moderate crushing strength parallel to grain. The wood is moderately heavy, moderately hard, strong and moderately stiff. 

Comments
Some cypress logs are reported to be susceptible to attack by a fungus which forms pockets or localized areas in the wood. The result is "Pecky cypress" which is reported to be attractive in appearance when cut. Although Pecky cypress is reported to be considered as an actual grade, supplies are very small compared to other grades.