Cypress Knees
by
Sandra Gaspard
of Louisiana Cypress Knee Art
(
15-Sep-2009
)
Cypress Knees are found in wet swampy areas and are usually growing under cypress trees. Some say it is the root of the cypress tree ,some say the knees help the tree to breathe,and some say the knees are a nuisance in their back yards that have to be cut; which is not good on lawnmowers. A knee grows cone shaped, once it has been cut it's growing pattern can be cone shaped again or twisted. Cutting cypress knees can be dangerous because of snakes, like water moccasins, that can curl up in them and one needs to keep an eye out for the lounging alligators. These are just a few of the hazards one should watch for. The knees need to be boiled in order to peel the bark off. This takes a lot of time but once peeled the wood is smooth and needs no sanding.