It is one of the most economical woods to paint. Official test of paint retention qualities put it in a group of specially selected woods which can hold paint longer than most and offer maximum resistance against damage from the elements. Even without the protection of paint, cypress will last for centuries, acquiring a lovely natural color. Cypress is widely used for interior and exterior trim, paneling, doors, siding and porch flooring. The lower grades made excellent fencing boards.
Cypress grows mainly in the southern portion of the United States.
It is usually found in an area extending from southern Delaware along the Atlantic coastline, through all of Florida, into the Gulf States and up to the Mississippi Valley of Indiana. Cypress is contradictory in its growth habits in that handsome trees are often found growing in very dry situations in the parks of many cities. Cypress also is one of only two softwoods found in America that shed foliage in the fall like hardwoods. Larch, also known as tamarack, is the other deciduous softwood. Pecky cypress which is valued by architects for rustic wall paneling, trim, false beams and special woodwork is a grade of cypress.