- Plains cottonwoods (Populous deltoides monilifera) are found in Nebraska, Kansas, and Wyoming. The tallest monilifera in the US (112 feet) is found in Ravalili County, Montana.
- Rio Grande cottonwoods (Populous deltoides wislizeni) occur in Texas, Colorado and New Mexico. The national champion is located in Bernalillo County, New Mexico.
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Populus fremontii.
| Frémont's cottonwood | |
|---|---|
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
Where do cottonwood trees grow?
Being a species of a poplar tree, cottonwoods are also related to aspens. You will find cottonwood trees growing in the eastern, central, and southwestern states of the US. Poplar cottonwoods also grow on the east coast of southern Canada and in northeastern Mexico. These hardwood trees are also found in deciduous forests.
What is Cottonwood used for in Native American culture?
Cottonwood bark and leaves were also used as medicinal herbs by many different tribes, particularly to treat wounds and swelling. Cottonwood trees are also used as a clan symbol in some Native American cultures. Tribes with Cottonwood Clans include the Pueblo tribes of New Mexico.
Is there a male and female cottonwood tree?
Cottonwood trees are male and female, and only the female types form seeds (and cotton). Look for the male 'Siouxland' variety, which grows 2 feet to 3 feet per year, and you’ll have a cottonwood tree minus the cotton.
What is a narrowleaf cottonwood tree?
Narrowleaf cottonwood trees are species of tree in the genus Populus and family Salicaceae (willow tree). As its name suggests, these poplar trees have narrow leaves when compared to other cottonwood trees. The leaves are lanceolate and have scalloped edges. These cottonwood trees grow in the western regions of North America at high altitudes.
What is a cottonwood tree?
Why are cottonwood trees important to Native Americans?
Why is cottonwood called cottonwood?
What is the fastest growing cottonwood tree?
What is the largest tree in the United States?
How to tell if a male or female tree is a swamp poplar?
Where can I find Fremont cottonwood trees?
See 4 more
About this website
Where are cottonwood trees native?
The Eastern cottonwood is native to North America, growing throughout the eastern, central, and southwestern United States, the southernmost part of eastern Canada, and northeastern Mexico.
Did Native Americans use cottonwood trees?
Revered By Native Americans The cottonwood tree is sacred to many Native Americans and they have many old stories they tell about this tree. Its roots were used for carving kachina dolls, masks, and other ceremonial objects by the Hopi, Pueblo, and Navajo tribes.
Do cottonwood trees grow in Mexico?
The cottonwood tree is one of the most popular tree species in the world. Going by the scientific name Populus Deltoides, the tree originates from and is common in North America, growing in the US, Canada, and Mexico.
What states do cottonwood trees grow in?
Eastern cottonwood grows along streams and on bottom lands from southern Quebec westward into North Dakota and southwestern Manitoba, south to central Texas, and east to northwestern Florida and Georgia.
Are cottonwood trees good for anything?
Cottonwood Tree Uses Cottonwoods provide excellent shade in lakeside parks or marshy areas. Their rapid growth makes them well-suited to use as a windbreak tree. The tree is an asset in wildlife areas where their hollow trunk serves as shelter while the twigs and bark provide food.
Where is the largest cottonwood tree in the United States?
Beatrice, NebraskaThe US national champion Populus deltoides var. deltoides is located in Beatrice, Nebraska and measures 27 m (88 ft) tall, 33 m (108 ft) wide.
Are cottonwood trees invasive?
Cottonwoods are beautiful, fast-growing deciduous trees with vigorous, potentially invasive roots. Deep watering and careful placement away from pavement, septic systems, and sewer lines are important to keep roots from becoming a problem. They perform best in interior regions with hot summers and cold winters.
Are cottonwood and poplar trees the same?
Cottonwood (Poplar) The cottonwood—also known as the poplar—is a tall tree with a spreading crown, named for its cotton-like seeds.
How do you tell if a tree is a cottonwood?
0:092:49How to identify eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides) | TREE ID #13YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIt's from the eastern cottonwood populous deltoids let's go find this tree. And learn how toMoreIt's from the eastern cottonwood populous deltoids let's go find this tree. And learn how to identify it here we go. Wait a minute there is one right there let's check it. Out. You can identify a
Is cottonwood a hardwood or softwood?
Cottonwood is moderately good for firewood because it is a hard wood that splits easily when seasoned properly, burns relatively clean and produces a fair amount of heat. They are difficult to split when green and if not seasoned properly give off a very unpleasant aroma.
Do cottonwood trees produce real cotton?
Even though cottonwood trees create cotton-like seeds, it is a different substance than the cotton found in clothing. The cotton plant that creates this cotton is often maintained as a shrub to capitalize on its cotton production.
How many years do cottonwood trees live?
Plains cottonwoods have an average lifespan of 70 years and reach about 60-80 feet in height. The Old Main Cottonwood is between 135 and 140 years old, 108 feet tall and 19 feet in circumference at the base of the trunk.
What does the cottonwood tree symbolize in Native American culture?
The cottonwood tree was sacred to many Native Americans, particularly in the Southwest. The Apache tribes considered cottonwood trees a symbol of the sun, and some northern Mexican tribes associated cottonwoods with the afterlife, using cottonwood boughs in funeral rituals.
What trees did Native Americans use?
Indigenous tribes used native trees to construct their homes. Many used wood posts from evergreens like pine, spruce, and cedar for their dwellings. Plains Indians would travel for days to obtain lodgepole pine logs since they were very straight and of a relatively small diameter so they could be more easily handled.
What does a cottonwood tree represent?
The cottonwood is the tree of telling your truth and walking your talk and the sound of its leaves, is said to symbolize the doorway through which the ancient ones appear.
What tree did Native Americans use to make canoes?
Several kinds of canoes were made by the Plains Indians, including: the birch bark canoe; buffalo skin boats known as "bull boats"; and the dugout canoe. The dugout was used where birch bark was unavailable.
How to Identify Cottonwood Trees
Identifying the Different Cottonwoods . The three cottonwood subspecies found in the U.S. are similar in some ways—such as their tendancy to grow tall (up to 165 feet)—and different in others ...
How to Get Rid of Cottonwood Fluff | Home Guides | SF Gate
How to Get Rid of Cottonwood Fluff. Cottonwood trees (Populus deltoides) are quick-growing, brittle trees hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 2 to 9. Female cottonwood ...
No, It's Not Snowing - 5 Facts About Cottonwood Trees - Weed Pro
Shaun Kanary. Shaun has been a part of the Green Industry for the past 15 years. As the Director of Marketing for Weed Pro, a Cleveland and Columbus Fertilizing Company, Shaun is a regular contributor to the Weed Pro Blog, and other industry magazines and blogs.
What is a cottonwood tree?
The cottonwood tree is a hardwood tree that loses its leaves in the fall. There are only a few species of poplar trees that are classified as cottonwoods. The 3 main species are Populus deltoids (eastern cottonwood), Populus fremontii (Fremont’s cottonwood), and the Populus nigra (black poplar).
Why are cottonwood trees important to Native Americans?
To Native Americans, the tree was extremely important. The gently spreading shape of the tree provided shade in grasslands. Even today, cottonwoods are grown in parks and other areas for the excellent shade from their dense foliage.
Why is cottonwood called cottonwood?
The name “cottonwood” comes from the fluffy white substance that surrounds the seeds. These develop on the tree in early summer and can create a blanket of summer “snow” when they disperse in the wind. Only the female species of cottonwood trees produce the white fluff for which the tree is known.
What is the fastest growing cottonwood tree?
Other Interesting Cottonwood Tree Facts. The fast growth rate of cottonwood trees and the strength of the timber means it has many uses. In fact, cottonwoods are one of the fastest-growing trees in North America. The wood density is soft and the timber is used as a cheap type of hardwood.
What is the largest tree in the United States?
Eastern Cottonwood ( Populus Deltoides) The eastern cottonwood is a large and fast growing tree. Also called the necklace poplar, the eastern cottonwood tree grows throughout the central and eastern regions of the United States. These are some of the largest and fastest-growing trees.
How to tell if a male or female tree is a swamp poplar?
Rather than having a delta-shaped leaf, they have heart-shaped leaves. You can tell the male and female species apart because the male s have yellow catkins and the females have green colored ones.
Where can I find Fremont cottonwood trees?
This huge majestic deciduous tree is also called the Alamo cottonwood as it is found in Texas and other southern US states.
Where do cottonwood trees grow?
It’s a cherished shade tree, often planted in parks. In the wild, cottonwood grows along rivers, ponds and other bodies of water. It also thrives in floodplains and dry riverbeds, where infrequent rains transform dry land into waterways. Photo by: Shutterstock/Doug Matthews. Shutterstock/Doug Matthews.
Where does black cottonwood grow?
Black cottonwood (Populus balsamifera) — grows west of the Rocky Mountains
Why do cottonwood trees live in floodplains?
Liven up your yard and add shade quickly with these fast-growing trees that avoid the pitfalls of weak wood short lifespan. Because cottonwood trees are adapted to thrive in floodplains, they naturally have shallow root systems, so that as floodwaters recede, the roots can breathe and the tree survives.
What is cottonwood known for?
Learn about growing cottonwood trees, known for their ample shade and cotton-like seeds.
Why are cottonwood trees so attractive?
Fast growth and wonderful shade are reasons enough to cherish cottonwood, but these trees possess other qualities that make them worth planting. The leaves have flat stems, so they shimmer and rustle in the wind. The effect is eye-catching and distinctively attractive. The tree offers strong fall color, with leaves fading to glowing shades of gold.
How much does cottonwood grow in a year?
Historically, cottonwood earned its place as a landscape tree because it grows rapidly, adding up to 6 feet a year. It's also a favorite for shade, with the large spread helping to cast cooling shade over homes and streets. There’s a cottonwood for nearly any region, with different hardy types in Zones 2 through 9.
What did Native Americans use cottonwood trees for?
Native Americans used cottonwood trees for dugout canoes and even transformed its bark into a medicinal tea. Cottonwood trees feature male and female parts on separate trees (female trees are the ones that produce the cottony substance that gives the tree its name).
What are Cottonwoods?
Cottonwoods are a species of flowering plants in the Salicaceae or the willow family . This refers to trees that belong to the genus Populus, section Aigeiros. Native to various parts of North America and western Asia, cottonwoods share many similarities with other poplars such as aspens and balsams.
Where does black cottonwood come from?
Black Cottonwood (Populus Nigra) This type of cottonwood tree is native to Europe but has spread to various other parts of the world including Asia, Africa and different areas in the US, particularly those in the west. Populus nigra, which usually goes by the name of black cottonwood or black poplar, is a large deciduous tree.
Why are cottonwood trees planted?
For Timber Production. Given their rapid growth pattern, cottonwoods are often planted with the objective of collecting wood from it later on. In less than a decade, a cottonwood tree can yield a large amount of wood that can hardly be obtained from any other source in the same time period.
What is a swamp cottonwood?
Populus heterophylla or the swamp cottonwood is a large tree that can measure over 100 feet high at maturity. Like all other cottonwoods, this variety is also dioecious, which means that male and female catkins or flowers grow on separate trees. The male catkins (staminate) are cylindrical in shape and feature a bright yellow color whereas the female catkins (pistillate) or mostly green in color.
How tall is Populus nigra?
Compared to other types of cottonwood, the black poplar has a bit of stunted growth, reaching a maximum of only 90 to 95 feet high on an average.
What is the hardiness zone of a Lanceleaf tree?
Lanceleaf trees are hardy in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 9 as they prefer full exposure to sunlight. Mature trees develop a pyramidal shape with thick green foliage that turns into bright yellow as autumn arrives. The leaves of this cottonwood variety look like a lance-like form, which is where the species got its name from.
How to tell if a Fremont cottonwood tree is a cottonwood?
However, you can easily distinguish Fremont’s cottonwood by looking at the leaf structure. In comparison to the eastern variety, the leaves of Fremont’s cottonwood are relatively small. Plus, the edges of Fremont’s leaves are less serrated. These trees can reach impressive heights in only a couple of years whereas their trunks can expand to ...
What is the habitat of giant cottonwoods?
The giant Cottonwoods are the main habitat defining species for this eco system providing food and shelter for a long list of animals as well as creating a life-support system for the variety of plants and other organisms that share this environment. These trees have spreading high branches that host sleeping porcupines and nesting birds ...
What are the uses of cottonwood trees?
Artisans crafted drums from their hollowed out trunks and carved kachinas from their soft roots. In spring catkins were collected for food and leaves were chewed for toothaches or used as a poultice for skin abrasions. The wood of the Cottonwood tree was a favorite for firing pots and the bark, which peels off in large thick strips, was used for splints . The fluff from Cottonwood seeds was even mixed with the white sap from Milkweeds and used as chewing gum. As Spanish settlers began moving up the Rio Grande Valley, they too found comfort in the Cottonwood forests where they began transforming it into farmland and creating a system of diversion channels called acequias. They also came to integrate Cottonwoods and other companion plants into their plant medicine traditions. The bark of Cottonwoods was prepared as a tea to treat fevers, arthritis, and diarrhea. An astringing poultice for abscesses was also made by mixing the ashes of burned bark with cornmeal and water. An infusion of dried leaves was also prepared as a diuretic. Even today, the Cottonwood Bosque is beloved by locals, mostly as a treasured recreational area for dog walking and bird watching, but also a source of inspiration from wilderness in an increasingly urbanized world.
What did the Spanish do with the cottonwoods?
As Spanish settlers began moving up the Rio Grande Valley, they too found comfort in the Cottonwood forests where they began transforming it into farmland and creating a system of diversion channels called acequias. They also came to integrate Cottonwoods and other companion plants into their plant medicine traditions.
What tree was used for firing pots?
In spring catkins were collected for food and leaves were chewed for toothaches or used as a poultice for skin abrasions. The wood of the Cottonwood tree was a favorite for firing pots and the bark, which peels off in large thick strips, was used for splints.
What is the cottonwood canopy?
The Cottonwood canopy that we see today is a gathering of elders standing alone in a forest without the next generation behind them. It is the opposite of what we see in so many areas of this country where logging has taken the old growth, leaving nothing but young trees.
Why are cottonwood trees scarce?
Younglings, however, are scarce because these trees reproduce in the waters of seasonal flooding that has not occurred since the 1940s.
When do cottonwood trees produce sticky resin?
Added to this rich sensory experience is the harvesting of Cottonwood buds, which produce sticky resin in February and March.
Where is Evergreen native to?
Evergreen native to the Rocky Mountains. Stiff pyramidal shape can vary in proportions dependent on variety. Does best with cold winters and well- drained soils. Full sun to light shade.
Where is the hummingbird plant native to?
Native to southern New Mexico with needle-like bright green leaves and Red flowers thru summer. Small size. Good in borders, rock gardens, as ground cover. Attracts hummingbirds. Adaptable to many conditions, but needs good drainage. Cold hardy. Full sun to part shade.
What temperature does Evergreen have?
Evergreen although the dark glossy green leaves may be lost when the temperature drops below zero °F. Useful as a screen or background shrub. Full to part sun.
Where is the sage plant native to?
Native to the southwest. Tough grass-like evergreen leaves forming a clump and sending up tall flower stalks bearing creamy white blooms. Hardy in the xeric landscape. Full sun.
Where is the white sage native to?
Native to the southwest; needs little care. White flowers from spring to fall with rosy pink feathery seed heads. Requires gritty well-drained soil. Full sun.
How big is a broadleaf evergreen?
Broadleaf evergreen. Size from 2' to 6' dependent on variety. White to pink flowers most profuse in spring. Prefers full sun to part shade.
What is a cottonwood tree?
The cottonwood tree is a hardwood tree that loses its leaves in the fall. There are only a few species of poplar trees that are classified as cottonwoods. The 3 main species are Populus deltoids (eastern cottonwood), Populus fremontii (Fremont’s cottonwood), and the Populus nigra (black poplar).
Why are cottonwood trees important to Native Americans?
To Native Americans, the tree was extremely important. The gently spreading shape of the tree provided shade in grasslands. Even today, cottonwoods are grown in parks and other areas for the excellent shade from their dense foliage.
Why is cottonwood called cottonwood?
The name “cottonwood” comes from the fluffy white substance that surrounds the seeds. These develop on the tree in early summer and can create a blanket of summer “snow” when they disperse in the wind. Only the female species of cottonwood trees produce the white fluff for which the tree is known.
What is the fastest growing cottonwood tree?
Other Interesting Cottonwood Tree Facts. The fast growth rate of cottonwood trees and the strength of the timber means it has many uses. In fact, cottonwoods are one of the fastest-growing trees in North America. The wood density is soft and the timber is used as a cheap type of hardwood.
What is the largest tree in the United States?
Eastern Cottonwood ( Populus Deltoides) The eastern cottonwood is a large and fast growing tree. Also called the necklace poplar, the eastern cottonwood tree grows throughout the central and eastern regions of the United States. These are some of the largest and fastest-growing trees.
How to tell if a male or female tree is a swamp poplar?
Rather than having a delta-shaped leaf, they have heart-shaped leaves. You can tell the male and female species apart because the male s have yellow catkins and the females have green colored ones.
Where can I find Fremont cottonwood trees?
This huge majestic deciduous tree is also called the Alamo cottonwood as it is found in Texas and other southern US states.
