cypress knees

RonMartin(deceased)

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Will_Heath

Gary,

Thanks for the intelligent, informative post on Bald Cypress knees.

It made me wonder if these trees that grow in a muck environment have a greater need for have starch available for conversion to sugars than there counterparts growing on dry land, hence the presence or absence of knees. In other words, could the environment that the tree is growing in determine the need for storage, hence the knees?

Thanks again for the excellent information and references,

Will

RonMartin(deceased)

Will_Heath

In other words, could the environment that the tree is growing in determine the need for storage, hence the knees?

Will

Gary Marchal

Hi Ron.....

I haven't been serious, I'm just trying to be informative.
You said in your original post, "After much reading in both bonsai and regular horticultural publications I have come up with the three current official scientific theories."

Have YOU come up with three current official scientific theories? Or, do you mean that you have quoted three current official scientific theories? If you are quoting other people's theories (official or not), I would be very interested in the sources. I have studied cypress for more than 20 years and have no knowledge of "official" scientific theories that back up what you have listed. This is why I ask that you post your sources. I'm not asking anything of you that I haven't done myself.

Now, you may have started this thread as a "light-hearted" talk about cypress knees, but these "light-hearted" talks increasingly perpetuate myths. If you want a light-hearted quote from me: "I have never seen a cypress knee with lungs." You can quote me on that !!!!

Best Always

Gary Marchal

Gary Marchal

Hi Will....

Thank you for your kind words.
There is no scientific proof (that I know of) that shows cypress growing in a muck environment has a greater need for storing starches than their counterparts growing on dry land.

If you want my personal opinion about why a knee grows, it is this:
Cypress knees are root tissue. A Cypress knee has NO bud information, therefore it will never grow a branch on it's own. A knee will grow upwards from the top of a root and when it hit's the surface of the land or water, it reverses it's direction and grows back downward forming a "hairpin" of sorts. The knee then begins to fuse together and elongate forming the knee that we all see. I believe that the storage of starch is concentrated in the knee, but the storage of starches happens throughout the root system.

My personal opinion about knees and cypress bonsai:
I don't care for knees with cypress bonsai. The knee will quickly grow out of scale with the bonsai making it look unnatural. If someone wants a knee with their bonsai, I would suggest that a small knee that has been cut off which is in-scale with the tree be placed in the pot at show.

Best Always

Gary Marchal

RonMartin(deceased)

Gary
I recognize you as an expert on the bald cypress and accept your explanation of why there are cypress knees.
As I said before your explanation was much better than mine. And given your expertise probably more accurate.
The only theory that I have personally come up with is #4 on my post ;o)
Hope that is a satisfactory answer. For now on I promise to post nothing here with out first stating all pertinent references. Even the jokes that I occasionally post that have been swiped from George Carlin ;o)
Just one final thing in passing. Michael Dirr in his Manual of Woody Landscape Plants Fourth Edition Page 837 does mumble something about cypress knees not being necessary for gaseous exchange. But then he also says that knees only form near water. Go figure. Everybody seems to have a different idea.
He also said on the same page "I have observed specimens in the Coastal Plain of Georgia that were magnificent; there is something hauntingly beautiful about a "grove" of bald cypress"
On that he was, as far as I am concerned, 100% right. No theory there, it is all fact. They are a beautiful tree.
Hurts Third Edition page 1098 mentions something about "aerating projections or "knees" growing up from the roots" Not sure what they are talking about there though. They do mention that there are two kinds of knees. I never knew that. It is a bit of interesting trivia I guess.

All this in the same light hearted spirit that was present when I started this hread

JavaScottC

Wow, great information on all sides, I enjoy that so much on this forum. Thanks to all who have participated....and skating off to left of center....nothing says spring to me like those buds bursting forth on a tapered trunk, with the greenest of green color....


Scott

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RonMartin(deceased)

Am getting a lot of email on the "cypress knee only near water thing"
This one just came in

"Hi Ron- RE: Cypress knees -You can add Mississippi to the list of taxiodiums that are reading impaired. My wife's cousin has them growing in the lawn in "Jordan River Shores", Kiln, MS. Also in the mini landscaped areas in the theatre parking lot (Crossroads Shopping Center), Gulfport, MS. That last is 5miles+ from the Gulf waters, 3+ miles from a river."

Guess there are more illiterate cypresses than I thought ;o)