Admiring Paul’s Bald

Back in 2008, I was visiting Virginia plantsman, Paul James, and was taken by the form of one of the now mature bald cypress seedlings that he’d planted around his extensive mountainside property. Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) are deciduous conifers, native to the southeastern US, and while all are nice, I found this one exceptional. Garden Treasures founder, Pat McCracken was willing to graft us a few for the garden. Even 18 years later, as our garden plant below shows, I’ve yet to see any named cultivar that I think is better than this. Perhaps one day, we’ll find a nurseryman willing to commercially graft our selection, Taxodium distichum ‘Paul James’