Cypress Swamp Survival

By Gordon Atkins

Step into a cypress swamp, and it feels like another world. The water can be up to your knees, frogs croak from the shadows, and dragonflies zip past your head. Rising above it all are the bald cypress trees, standing tall and strong even though their roots are always wet. Most trees would quickly drown in a swamp, but the cypress survives in just the right balance of water. The water has to be deep enough to keep the ground soggy but not so deep that the roots float away. The cypress thrives in a place that seems almost impossible for a tree to grow. 

The bald cypress is also special because it is both coniferous and deciduous. Conifers—such as pine trees—usually have cones and needles. Deciduous trees—such as oaks and maples—usually lose their leaves in the fall. The bald cypress does both! In the autumn it drops its soft, feathery needles into the swamp, turning the water a rusty red color. These fallen leaves rot and break down, adding food to the water that fish, frogs, and bugs can use. Even when the cypress is letting go of its leaves, it is helping the swamp around it. 

Look down at the swamp floor, and you might see strange wooden “knees” sticking up out of the water. These are the cypress knees, and they are one of the coolest parts of the tree. Scientists believe these knees help the roots breathe in waterlogged, airless soil. They may also help hold the tree steady during storms and floods. You can think of them as little snorkels or anchors, giving the cypress strength when things get tough. Without these knees the tree would not be able to survive year after year in the swamp. 

The cypress tree teaches us an important lesson. Life is not always easy. Sometimes we find ourselves in “swampy” situations—hard times during which we feel stuck, sad, or unsure. But just as God gave the cypress special tools to survive, He gives us what we need too. With His help we can stand tall, adapt to challenges, and keep growing even when life feels hard. The cypress shows us that with God’s strength, no place is too difficult for us to live and shine. 

“For I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

—Gordon Atkins is the head naturalist at Camp Au Sable in Michigan.