Eastern Cottonwood
Populus deltoides · Deciduous, Broadleaf, Hardwood
Plant Family
Salicaceae
Tree Category
Shade Tree, Forest Tree, Riparian Tree
Variety / Cultivar
Species type, no specific cultivar identified from juvenile shoot
Hardiness Zones
Thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 2 through 9, exhibiting strong cold tolerance and wide climatic adaptability.
About This Tree
A very large, fast-growing deciduous tree with an open, spreading crown and massive trunk. Juvenile shoots and vigorous sprouts often exhibit strongly angled or ridged stems and prominent deltoid leaves with reddish veins.
Leaf Characteristics
Simple, alternate leaves, broadly triangular (deltoid) to cordate in shape, 3 to 6 inches long with coarsely crenate-serrate margins and flattened petioles that cause leaves to tremble in the breeze; bright green turning yellow in fall.
Bark Characteristics
Smooth and greenish-yellow on young stems and branches, becoming deeply furrowed with thick, gray ridges and dark gray valleys as the tree ages.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to eastern, central, and southwestern North America, widely adaptable in temperate zones
Growing Season
Fast-growing perennial; leafs out in mid-spring, produces catkins in early spring before leaves, sheds cottony seeds in late spring to early summer, drops leaves in autumn
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun; high water needs, naturally found along rivers, streams, and lowlands; highly intolerant of drought but extremely tolerant of wet soils.
Mature Size
Reaches 50 to 80 feet or more in height, with an equal or greater spread, growing exceptionally fast with a short to moderate lifespan of 50 to 80 years.
Special Characteristics
Extremely rapid growth rate makes it useful for quick shade or windbreaks, but its wood is soft and brittle, and root systems are aggressive and shallow.
Wildlife & Ecology
Provides important nesting habitat and cover for various birds and mammals; foliage serves as a primary food source for caterpillars of several butterfly and moth species.