very odd tree, what is it?

[barryrichards]

I have a tree in my yard that has leaves, small cones, and little squiggly things that hang down and give off a lot of pollen. It loses leaves in the fall, but the cones and squiggly things stay on till spring. The bark is gray and when I trim the branches the exposed wood turns red in a day. I've tried a lot of the links and I always end up with a dead end because of the tree having coniferous and deciduous tendancy's. Any clues to a site that would cover this kind of tree would be greatly appreciated. I don't have any pics till the leaves come back in spring. The tree is in northern California. Thanks!

 

[WRW]

Baldcypress fits that description. Taxodium.

 

[Jay Banks]

The squiggly part has me stumped. Is it a leaf or part of the cone?

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Alder

immature nutlet

winter nutlet

What is Taxus taxodium?

 

[barryrichards]

THAT"S IT!!

That's the tree! minus the "squiggly things". Thanks a bunch, I had been trying to find out what this was for about 2 months. By the way Jay, my wife liked your pun about being stumped. Thanks evryone.

Barry

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

The squiggly things are the male sex organ

Catkins

Birch have them, oaks have them...

 

[WRW]

Good call, John Paul.
Taxodiaceae Taxodium distichum...South East redwood family. They are deciduous. I thought Barry might have a transplant.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

We ahev a few baldcypress up here I've "played" in a small one.

Any idea as to Taxus taxodium?

 

[WRW]

Yew got me on that one.