This species of conifer is normally more abundant in the southeastern part of the United States than in Pennsylvania and all of the ones here are cultivated. It is the state tree of Louisiana. The native range extends up the Ohio Valley as far as southern Indiana. This tree turns a rusty-red color in the fall and drops most of its leaves and twigs. New growth springs from buds on the branches in the spring. For this reason it is never used as a Christmas Tree.

The stringy bark is gray-brown to red-brown in color and has narrow vertical fissures. It can be a magnificent tall tree and is often found in swamps. They can be 80-120 feet tall, with a trunk diameter of 3 to 4 feet. If they are growing in deep water, strange root growths called "knees" come up to the surface.

There are separate male and female cones on the same tree. The seed cones are spherically shaped with thick scales and are about 1 inch or more in diameter.  Cranes and songbirds may eat the seeds. The needles are 1⁄2 to 3⁄4 inches long and flattened. They lack the white stripe on the under surface that is typical of hemlocks. The needles are arranged in two rows on the stem in a pattern resembling the leaflets on a fern.

The bald cypress is one of the most valuable lumber trees in the country. The wood is light, soft, straight-grained and durable and seldom will warp. The Monterey cypress of California is only a distant relative. It is a popular ornamental tree, but the leaf and twig fall in autumn can be messy.