Cypress Knees

We see a lot of these Bald Cypress Tree knees here in Florida. Of course, they are not really knees, but vertical root outgrowths. The technical term for the knee is pneumatophore, which means “air-bearing.” They grow in wet or swampy areas, like Beacon Lake, where we walked with Beda today. 

Possible Functions:

Aeration: One theory suggests that they help the tree absorb oxygen from the air when the water table is high, acting as a type of pneumatophore. 

Anchoring: They may also help stabilize the tree in soft, unstable soil. 

Nutrient Storage: Some researchers suggest that they might store nutrients or carbohydrates. 

Vegetative Reproduction: Another theory suggests that they might aid in vegetative reproduction. 

Despite various hypotheses, the exact function of cypress knees remains somewhat unclear, and the scientific community is still debating their purpose. Wow!