I have more questions than answers on this one. That is, once I
picked my jaw up off my chest.

The Bald Cypress is a swamp tree. You cannot drown this tree. It'll
tolerate frost in the winter, and hot and humid summers. The leaves
prefer higher humidity than indoors can ever provide. If you're doing
this as a terrarium planting, you'll want to keep the moisture level
high. Perhaps too high as I expect the glass will be constantly
beaded with moisture and will therefore not be viewable from the
outside (in which case, what's the point?).

If you're running your plants under halide lamps, you may be producing
the heat, but are you producing the moisture? What size aquarium are
you using (measurements in inches, not gallons please)? Do you have a
misting system or is it enclosed to keep the humidity high.

What are your humidity and temperature readings for the plant? If
you're going to play God with this tree, you'll have to know these
numbers. Humidity would be nice for the tree over 80% (gut feeling
because that's what it is in New Orleans most of the time).
Temperatures should be in the 80's and 90's during the summer.

Having said that, I wonder if what the temperature differential is
betweent the base and the apex of the tree. What good is it to get
the base temperature at 85 degrees if the top, nearest the halide
lamps, is at 110? That'd kill any plant. Further, would there be any
differences between the base and apex humidity levels? I'm betting
yes. Oh, man, this is complicated stuff. I like it better keeping
outdoor trees outdoors. But hey, that's not the answer you're looking
for.

Does the cypress spend any time outside in the winter? It really does
need to lose it's leaves once a year. Only cold weather will do that.
You need something below 45 degrees for weeks at a time. Have you
thought of hooking up a window air conditioner to your terrarium? But
then, if you do that, you'll end up with water beading up on the
OUTSIDE of the aquarium this time. And once again, non-viewable
terrariums is not what you want.

Since you seemed determined to have an indoor display of cypress, I
doubt you'll listen to the best advice of all: STOP KILLING THESE
TREES IN YOUR HOUSE. I can only give you enough advice to keep the
trees alive for a season or two (or is that a season or less?).

And since this is a multispecies display, ho man is this getting
complicated!

Bill Butler
New Orleans, LA
USDA Zone 9

www.gnobs.org (Club Auction on August 16, 2003)

On 10 Jul 2003 18:26:40 GMT, ospam (Moontanman)
wrote:


My guess would be that the problems with the bald cypress is that you are
trying to grow them inside. IMHO they would do much better if grown outside
or in your green house.

Well, that is what i am trying to overcome. An aquarium display indoors with my
bald cypress, water tupelo, and mangroves growing along side cattails and some
other emergent plants. mangroves grow great but not bald cypress. I need help
please

Moon