Conifer grows in the swamps

Sweet is the swamp with its secrets,

Until we meet a snake;

'Tis then we sigh for houses,

And our departure take.

-- Emily Dickinson

I must here disagree with Ms. Dickinson. Sure enough, a swamp has plenty of secrets, and snakes are one of their wonderful aspects. Visitors to swamps and other wetlands should learn to appreciate the snakes of our outdoor places, as well as the other animal life present. It's good to remember that their presence in natural systems indicates healthy biological diversity. Yes, some are venomous, and need to be respected … but in your day-to-day experiences, you are more likely to be hurt by backing out of your driveway than by dealing with a snake.

Our Mystery Plant grows in a swamp. This is one of the characteristic wetland forest trees of the South, found naturally on the Atlantic coastal plain from Maryland to Texas, and well into the Mississippi River Valley. It is a conifer. The seed cones (it also makes "pollen" cones) are small, only 1-2 inches, and shaped much like the cones on the giant coast redwoods of California, to which our Mystery tree is related. Our plant is a deciduous conifer, which is unusual, as most conifers are evergreens. Its leaves are needle shaped and arranged in two rows on either side of a narrow stem. In the autumn, the needles turn a rich, warm brown-orange, and the entire assemblage of stem with attached leaves falls away as a single unit.

The tree pictured is from Congaree National Park and it represents the state champion, being 131 feet tall, with a circumference of 26 feet. This species is an integral part of Lowcountry landscapes, often draped with Spanish moss. The wood of this tree is strong and durable, fine-grained, and has been valued for flooring and furniture, as well as nearly indestructible shingles. It is also valued as a landscape tree, adaptable to a variety of soils, and is widely cultivated.

A couple of years ago, the tree was formally named as one of those in the "Treasured Tree" program as a way of bringing recognition to the importance of trees in our surroundings. South Carolina's Arbor Day is Dec. 4.

For information on the Midlands Arbor Day celebration in South Carolina, call 803-733-2526.

This week's mystery plant: "Bald cypress," Taxodium distichum.

John Nelson is the curator of the Herbarium at the University of South Carolina.