Glyptostrobus pensilis

The Chinese swamp cypress is a member of the cypress or Cupressaceae family and is native to subtropical southeastern China and northern Vietnam. It typically grows on river banks and in ponds and swamps, reaching up to 30 m tall. Crown is columnar to conical.

• Leaves are deciduous, spirally arranged, flat and linear but twisted at the base to lie in two horizontal ranks, 5–20 mm long and 1–2 mm broad, but can be 2–3 mm long and scale-like on shoots in the upper crown.
• Male cones are clusters of tassels; female cones are pear-shaped, erect, 2–3 cm long and 1–1.5 cm in diameter, broadest near the apex green, maturing yellow-brown. They open when mature to release the small, 5–20 mm long, winged seeds.
• Although very similar in appearance to bald cypress trees in the closely related Taxodium genus, Chinese swamp cypress primarily differs from Taxodium by having trimorphic leaves (Taxodium are dimorphic), elongated scales (Taxodium are rounded) and slightly longer cone stalks.
• When grown in water, both produce knee-like roots (pneumatophores) which protrude above the water helping to bring oxygen to the root system.