rockm

"also don't like what looks like wood rot at the base since once again I have never seen this in nature because BC grow naturally in water and don't normally rot or have die off at the base or roots>"

Sure they do. Very very old BC are sometime completely hollow. Several of the state record holding BC for size are completely hollow--with enough room in the base to hold almost a dozen people. Dead trunks aren't uncommon either with this species, either.

I don't care for the weeping style on this tree, but Fla. collected BC usually have long lanky "pond cypress" foliage that is hard to arrange in "typical" BC style. This is a very powerful trunk and would lose alot if it was allowed to be too tall. Shortening it emphasizes the age in the base...

If you want to see some striking examples of the huge variation in how this species can grow, get the book "Bald Cypress-The tree unique, the wood eternal." It will change your mind about alot of things you thought you knew about this species.