Nanxing Cypress Forest Introduction
The bald cypress has turned red, and the faces of travelers are smiling! Every winter, as the chill sets in, along the Flotation Street Lane 185 next to Xiaoliyu Lake, the nearly 3-hectare Bade Bald Cypress Forest is painted with gorgeous gradient colors of orange, bright red, blue skies, white clouds, and gently flowing streams, attracting thousands of travelers to marvel at this poetic landscape akin to an Impressionist painting. The bald cypress belongs to the cypress family and is also known as the American bald cypress due to its origin in the United States; it can grow up to 50 meters high and is often used as landscape plants and building materials. Unlike typical coniferous trees, the needles of the bald cypress turn from green to red with the arrival of winter and eventually fall like feathers. The two major photo spots for bald cypress in Taoyuan are Daxi Bald Cypress Avenue (originally known as Shiyuan Road) and Nanxing Bald Cypress. After going viral on Instagram and Facebook, the crowds have never diminished. Daxi Bald Cypress Avenue features around 300 bald cypress trees planted in double rows, creating a serene beauty. Located beside the Qiatong River, Nanxing Bald Cypress is a private nursery with nearly 3,000 bald cypress trees standing tall, offering a unique and spectacular sight that adds surprise to the journey, distinct from the “small and beautiful” charm of Daxi. Walking along the path next to Xiaoliyu Lake, the breathtaking scenery of bald cypress is fully visible, while the nearby countryside is equally enchanting; in the fallow farmland, charming yellow cosmos sway in the wind, and the surprise appearance of red quinoa, often seen in mountainous areas, adds more beauty. The expansive Xiaoliyu Lake, with its mirror-like surface reflecting distant mountains and nearby forests, often sees travelers on bicycles and birds soaring by. While enjoying the beautiful scenery, one can also closely observe features of the bald cypress, such as the columnar pneumatophores and light brown cones, providing an interesting nature lesson.
