Introducing Taxodium distichum var. imbricatum (synonym T. ascendens), also known as Pond Cypress - a beautiful species of Taxodium native to the southeastern United States. While many botanists treat it as a variety of the Bald Cypress, Taxodium distichum, it differs in ecology and is typically found in still blackwater rivers, ponds, and swamps without silt-rich flood deposits. Compared to T. distichum, the Pond Cypress has shorter, slenderer leaves that are on shoots which tend to be erect rather than spreading. The cones are also smaller, not exceeding 2.5 cm in diameter, and the bark is a paler gray color. Just like Bald Cypresses, the Pond Cypress growing in water has a unique characteristic known as cypress knees, which are woody projections sent above the water from the roots. With its striking appearance and unique ecology, Pond Cypress is a must-have for any water-laden landscape or garden.