Water Trees In wetlands and swamps, large trees emerge from the water. One can not see where they are connected to the earth. Sometimes rising from the water with a large based trunk that tapers at its top. Some grow additional roots like cypress knees to help anchor them to the soft, muddy soil giving them structural support and stability. These buttressed bases and a strong, intertwined root system allow them to resist very strong winds; even hurricanes rarely overturn them.