The classic sight of the Bald Cypress Tree in Southern waterways is more versatile than you might think Native to swampy areas, you can find this Cypress along slow-moving creeks, streams, and rivers. A key feature of these Bald Cypress trees is their "knees". These are knobby segments of the bald cypress root system which protrude above the water to provide oxygen and stability to the tree in these wet conditions. The bald cypress also makes for an excellent shade tree when planted near a porch or patio. These trees grow naturally across the southern United States and have been seen in the drainage basin of the Mississippi Valley, along the Gulf coast, and coastal plains. Bald Cypress leaves have soft, feather-like foliage that is bright green and their shaggy bark is a grayish brown. You'll also find that they produce bald cypress fruit that is a small wrinkled ball looking "fruit" on the tree. This fruit is actually bald cypress tree nuts.