A giant among trees, the bald cypress is an imposing sight. Unlike its relative the pond cypress, it prefers growing along water in motion, such as rivers, streams, and sluggish swamps. Some of Florida’s most ancient and largest trees are bald cypress. Bald cypress can be distinguished from pond cypress by its needles. The needles of the bald cypress spread flat like a hawk’s feather, while those of the pond cypress sweep upward from the stem, creating a wispy effect.