Trunk diameters from 2 to 5 feet. Eastern cottonwood leaves are triangular (deltoid) with curved teeth along the edges. - black cottonwood stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images 1990. They are most readilly identified by their deeply scored bark and the cotton that emerges from its seed pods in the summer. If you compare them with eastern cottonwood leaves, you will see Fremont’s cottonwood leaves are smaller with less serration. The fast growth rate of cottonwood trees and the strength of the timber means it has many uses. Lanceleaf cottonwood trees grow to between 40 and 60 ft. (12 – 18 m) and have a spread of up to 40 ft. (12 m). The color is usually grayish green in color. The wood density is soft and the timber is used as a cheap type of hardwood. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Populus balsamifera ssp. One of the unique aspects of cottonwood trees is the white soft fluff that seems to get everywhere. Rather than having a delta-shaped leaf, they have heart-shaped leaves. The leaves are also smaller and can be diamond or triangular-shaped and grow to between 2” – 3” (5 – 8 cm) long. Black cottonwood trees become stunning in the fall where their foliage turns a beautiful bright yellow color. Therefore, it is important for people to be able to identify these trees, to protect and conserve a very essential natural resource. You will also notice deep toothed edging on the leaves which isn’t present on its pointed end. We provide informative articles about gardening, lawn care and landscaping that you can come back to again and again when you have questions or want to learn more! Populus trichocarpa, the black cottonwood, western balsam-poplar or California poplar, is a deciduous broadleaf tree species native to western North America. As with all cottonwoods, the bark has deep fissures giving it a cracked appearance. These large trees can grow to between 50 and 80 ft. (15 – 24 m). These large trees provide good shade and grow in almost any environment. Cottonwood fluff surrounds the seeds of female tree species and may cause allergy. These dark shiny leaves turn to impressive bright yellows in the fall. Average Dried Weight: 24 lbs/ft … When the leaves change color in the fall during October and November, they become bright yellow or orange. Copyright © Gardenerdy & Buzzle.com, Inc. Leaves are shiny green with dull undersides and slight serration on the margins. You can tell the male and female species apart because the males have yellow catkins and the females have green colored ones. The light white fluffy fibers can accumulate in yards, get into homes, block drains and gutters, and clog up filters. Characteristics Black cottonwood is a soft, light wood of uniform texture. Cottonwood trees are also large shade trees and their sprawling branches have a spread of up to 113 ft. (34 m). In this article, you will find out information about cottonwood trees. Black poplar is dioecious, meaning male and female flowers are found on separate trees. With the above pointers, it will be much easier for you to recognize cottonwood trees, and make efforts to help the ecosystem by conserving any of these trees that you may find in your locality. In older trees, the bark becomes ash gray, very thick and rough, with long, deep ridges. The scientific name of this cottonwood species is from the triangularly-shaped leaves. Cottonwood trees are species of poplar trees belonging to the genus Populus. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. The cottonwood tree is a hardwood tree that loses its leaves in the fall. The ends of the twigs are usually covered with a brown balsam-scented resin. The black cottonwood is a tall tree that produces low-grade timber. The third major cottonwood species is Fremont’s cottonwood. Apart from producing a flurry of white fuzzy fluff in late spring and early summer, there are other ways to identify cottonwoods. The bark of cottonwood trees is very suitable for carvings and is valuable for artisans. City planners also use cottonwood trees for urban areas because of their hardiness, low maintenance, and ornamental look. The 3 main species are Populus deltoids (eastern cottonwood), Populus fremontii (Fremont’s cottonwood), and the Populus nigra (black poplar). These long white beads of fluff shed in June and July and are a nuisance for people living near them. Populus L. – cottonwood Species: Populus balsamifera L. – balsam poplar Subspecies: Populus balsamifera L. ssp. Usually, most cottonwood species of tree leaves have pronounced tooth edging whereas black poplars are almost smooth-edged. Bark: On young trees, the bark is thin and smooth in texture. trichocarpa L. ssp. Black cottonwood grows quickly to heights of 80 to 125 feet—up to 200 feet in bygone days, along the lower Columbia River—and diameters up to four feet or more. Leaves: The leaves of a black cottonwood tree grow alternately in a pale green shade, with a leaf size of 2-2.5 inches in length and width. Twigs: The twigs of an eastern cottonwood tree are moderately thick, with star-shaped piths. Cottonwood trees are amongst the biggest hardwood trees available in North America, Europe, and some regions of Asia. (Torr. The sapwood is almost white, and merges into the light grey or greyish-brown heartwood, which may contain dark streaks. Our site includes quite a bit of content, so if you're having an issue finding what you're looking for, go on ahead and use that search feature there! Its leaves have fine teethed corners and can be triangular in shape or sometimes also come close to resembling a diamond shape. Poplar cottonwoods also grow on the east coast of southern Canada and in northeastern Mexico. Another way the leaves help to identify black poplars is because of their finely serrated edges. Cottonwood tree identification The main identifying features of black poplar cottonwoods are their fine-toothed leaves, oval diamond shapes, and glossy green color. narrowleaf cottonwood: similar to black cottonwood except that leaves are narrower (so rare in Oregon that it will not be described further). Scientific Name: Populus trichocarpa. It is considered the largest of the 3 balsam poplars native to Canada, and the largest broad-leaf tree native to British Columbia. Eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides), one of the largest eastern hardwoods, is short-lived but the fastest-growing commercial forest species in North America. Find the perfect black cottonwood tree stock photo. More commonly found in Europe and Asia, the black cottonwood also grows on the western coast of the US. It is used for timber, and is notable as a model organism in plant biology . The men of the Corps of Discovery probably carved twelve of the seventeen dugout canoes they made en route from either black cottonwood or plains cottonwood.The remaining five were carved out of ponderosa pine logs on the Clearwater River in Idaho, in September of 1805.1 The leaf bud pictured at left is the feature containing a sticky black substance t… Cottonwood trees tend to be bare of leaves during the winter, so identification can be done by looking at the bark or by studying fallen leaves that are surrounding the base of the tree. Their trunks are deeply furrowed. Integration of shotgun sequence assembly with genetic mapping enabled chromosome-scale reconstruction of the genome. Watch Queue Queue Elongated narrow leaves that are glossy green and turn sunny yellow in the fall. One of the other problems with these types of poplar trees is that they are susceptible to diseases and bugs. Black Cottonwood - Populus trichocarpa - PNW Plants. The leaves of this poplar are some of the largest of any of the cottonwood trees. Notes: Bell, D.S. Distribution: Northwestern North America. Flowers on the eastern cottonwood species are reddish on male trees and yellowish-green on female trees. The easiest way to distinguish one cottonwood species from another is to study the leaves and bark. The “delta” leaves are between 1.5” to 4” long (4 – 10 cm) and about the size at their widest part. Black Cottonwood leaves may also have an ovate shape and the leaves of mature trees may show a light rust color on the side facing the ground. black bears in anchorage, alaska. Largest of all North American cottonwoods. The Chinese necklace poplar is a delightful shade tree with large leaves and dense foliage. Some species of cottonwood trees have been known to reach heights of 100 ft. (30 m) or more. black cottonwood Salicaceae Populus balsamifera ssp. 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