The Chinese swamp cypress is a small deciduous tree with glabrous young shoots. As in the nearly related Taxodium distichum the young shoots are of two kinds: 1) persistent and bearing axillary buds; 2) deciduous and without any buds. The former, which are usually terminal, bear the leaves spirally round the twig; the latter bear the leaves distichously (that is, arranged in two opposite rows) and they fall off in autumn, carrying the leaves with them. The leaves also are of two kinds: those on the budless, deciduous twigs are linear, 1⁄3 to 1⁄2 in. long, 1⁄20 in. wide, pointed or bluntish; those on cone-bearing twigs short, scalelike, 1⁄12 to 1⁄8 in. long. There are also others of intermediate size. Cones obovoid or pear-shaped, 3⁄4 to 1 in. long, 5⁄8 to 1⁄2 in. wide towards the top.
Native of S. China, in damp places, known mainly as a cultivated tree; there are specimens in the Kew Herbarium from Kwangtung, Fukien, and Chekiang provinces. The twigs and leaf arrangement very much resemble those of the American swamp cypress. It is not hardy at Kew, but plants grown in pots under glass are very charming for many weeks in autumn and early winter for the soft glowing red of the fading leaves. According to Henry, the Chinese peasants plant it on the north side of their villages to bring luck to the home, and amongst the rice fields to increase the crop.
This species is very rare in British gardens. There is an example at Nymans, Sussex, about seventy years old, measuring 12 × 1 ft (1968), and a smaller one grows against a wall at Leonardslee in the same county. The plant at Exbury mentioned in previous editions died recently.