Taxodium ascendens, commonly called pond cypress, is a deciduous conifer native to the southeastern United States, where it inhabits shallow wetlands, pond margins, and seasonally flooded depressions, often forming pure stands that lend a distinctive, serene character to lowland landscapes. Typically growing 15–25 meters tall, it develops a straight, tapering trunk with fibrous, reddish-brown bark and a narrow, spirelike crown that becomes more columnar than that of the closely related bald cypress (Taxodium distichum). Its foliage consists of short, appressed, scale-like needles arranged in tight spirals along the branchlets, giving the tree a fine, feathery texture that turns warm orange-brown in autumn before shedding. The species produces rounded, woody cones that disintegrate upon maturity, releasing seeds adapted to wet conditions. While pond cypress may form “knees” in especially saturated soils, these structures are generally less pronounced than those of bald cypress. Exceptionally tolerant of flooding, acidic soils, heat, and occasional drought once established, Taxodium ascendens is a resilient and long-lived species valued for wetland restoration, erosion control, and ornamental plantings, where its elegant form, adaptable growth, and atmospheric presence evoke the beauty of southern swamps and still waters.