Recently, we’ve been exploring the Upper Pithlachascotee River Preserve. It’s a small park with walking trails and a boardwalk through a cypress swamp. I’m fascinated with the cypress knees – you can see them poking up in the right of the picture – they look like skinny, short stumps.
This is the first time I’ve really gotten close to cypress trees. And, the park has the 8th largest bald cypress tree in Florida. Neat!
Here’s a closer view of some other cypress knees.
Scientists aren’t sure why the cypress trees have these… perhaps for stability.