The most famous tree in the Kórnik Arboretum is the swamp cypress with its characteristic roots (pneumatophores) growing above the ground surface. It was brought to Kórnik in 1845 and is the most famous swamp cypress in Poland.
It is a naturally occurring species in southeastern North America where it grows in swamps, river valleys and floodplains. Growing in swampy soil, it produces so-called pneumatophores, roots that grow out of the ground beneath its crown, serving to ventilate the root system, which is often submerged in water. The first cypress trees were brought to Kórnik by Tytus Działyński - the creator not only of the exuberant Kórnik library, but also of a collection of trees and shrubs




