Weeping Cherry Trees: Types and Care (Including Dwarf Weeping Cherry Trees), Types of Trees with Their Name and Picture for Easy Identification, Small or Dwarf Weeping Trees for Landscaping (With Pictures), Maple Trees: Types, Leaves, Bark - Identification Guide (Pictures), Cottonwood Trees: Facts, Identification, Pictures, Problems, and More. These may either be gray or green in color. The light white fluffy fibers can accumulate in yards, get into homes, block drains and gutters, and clog up filters. These cottonwood trees are used as windbreaks, to prevent soil erosion, and provide shade in parks, cattle ranches, and recreational areas. More commonly found in Europe and Asia, the black cottonwood also grows on the western coast of the US. These poplar trees shed cotton during June and July. The third major cottonwood species is Fremont’s cottonwood. Only the female species of cottonwood trees produce the white fluff for which the tree is known. spring. You can tell the male and female species apart because the males have yellow catkins and the females have green colored ones. 1990. This hybridization may be considered intraspecific (see balsam poplar). Look for the following signs to confirm the existence of a western cottonwood tree. Flowers on the eastern cottonwood species are reddish on male trees and yellowish-green on female trees. These develop on the tree in early summer and can create a blanket of summer “snow” when they disperse in the wind. Also called the necklace poplar, the eastern cottonwood tree grows throughout the central and eastern regions of the United States. Black poplar is dioecious, meaning male and female flowers are found on separate trees. Populus balsamifera ssp. Also known as Fremont cottonwood or Rio Grande cottonwood, this tree is commonly found near water bodies of arid regions. Some reasons why cottonwood trees are popular are that they are fast-growing, their timber is cheap, and they thrive in wetlands and arid environments. Their tall stature and wide-spreading dense foliage mean they are great shade trees. It grows best on moist well-drained sands or silts near streams, often in pure stands. Black hickories are small, slow-growing trees that reach about 50 ft. (15 m) in height. In this article, you will find out information about cottonwood trees. Rather than having a delta-shaped leaf, they have heart-shaped leaves. Black cottonwood tree features a conical shape and looks simply spectacular standing upright in all its green glory. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Balsam poplar and black cottonwood hybridize and produce frequently mixed populations where both taxa are sympatric or even where they are separated by rather large distances. Black Cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa) Common Name (s): Black Cottonwood. These medium-sized trees are good for landscaping and shade. Populus trichocarpa, the black cottonwood, western balsam-poplar or California poplar, is a deciduous broadleaf tree species native to western North America. These hardwood trees are also found in deciduous forests. 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. These cookies do not store any personal information. trichocarpa L. ssp. If you want to use a cottonwood tree in landscaping, then choose the ‘Highland’ cultivar as it doesn’t produce annoying cotton fluff in the summer. Eastern Cottonwood is the state tree of Kansas and Nebraska, and is sometimes called the pioneer of the prairie; pioneers on the Oregon Trail would look for such trees, as their shade and firewood was a welcome respite, and their presence usually meant that water was nearby. In fact, cottonwoods are one of the fastest-growing trees in North America. The fruits contain many cottony seeds. 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. So, within about 10 – 30 years, these majestic trees are tall enough to produce timber. The Chinese necklace poplar is a delightful shade tree with large leaves and dense foliage. The gently spreading shape of the tree provided shade in grasslands. The eastern cottonwood is a large and fast growing tree. Lanceleaf cottonwood is a medium sized tree used in landscape for shade. 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