A short drive from New Orleans, there are a number of picturesque Louisiana swamps, filled with exotic wildlife and beautiful plant life. Rising tall from dark, murky waters, bald cypress trees are hallmarks of Louisiana swamps. Associated with the bayou, Spanish moss, pelicans, egrets, and alligators, the bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) is the state tree of Louisiana. The tree’s feathery foliage, wide and buttressed base, and irregular crown dominate many southeastern wetlands, and their range extends throughout the southeastern U.S. from southern Delaware to eastern Texas.