Populus sect. Aigeiros

<h2 id="species">Species</h2>
<h3>Populus deltoides</h3>
<a href="/facts/Populus_deltoides/J2eY331I">Eastern cottonwood</a> (Populus deltoides) is one of the largest North American <a href="/facts/Hardwood/KQT6MN8W">hardwood</a> trees, although the wood is rather soft. It is a <a href="/facts/Riparian_zone/3NQHWM78">riparian zone</a> tree. It occurs throughout the eastern United States, parts of southern Canada, and northern Mexico. The <a href="/facts/Leaf/1m6wCNTg">leaves</a> are alternate and simple, with coarsely toothed (crenate/serrate) edges, and subcordate at the base. The leaf shape is roughly triangular, hence the species name, deltoides. Their winter buds are enrobed in a protective, fragrant resin that coats young leaves when they unfurl from the bud.
In the typical subspecies P. d. deltoides (<a href="/facts/Vermont/dcj3usCm">Vermont</a> south to northern <a href="/facts/Florida/cF245A3Q">Florida</a> and west to about <a href="/facts/Michigan/bCurmfT2">Michigan</a>), the leaves are broad and triangular, 7–15 cm across at the base. Further west (<a href="/facts/Minnesota/ncgVuC4Q">Minnesota</a> south to eastern <a href="/facts/Texas/B987WHF0">Texas</a>), the subspecies P. d. monilifera (plains cottonwood; syn. P. sargentii) has somewhat narrower leaves, 5–10 cm wide at the base. This is also the <a href="/facts/List_of_U.S._state_trees/mo26Pprx">state tree</a> of <a href="/facts/Nebraska/g9hHfRFU">Nebraska</a>, <a href="/facts/Wyoming/kuKmWryL">Wyoming</a>, and <a href="/facts/Kansas/koenIXmE">Kansas</a>. In West Texas, <a href="/facts/New_Mexico/wosJCGaW">New Mexico</a>, and <a href="/facts/Colorado/IgIHrJI5">Colorado</a>, the subspecies P. d. wislizeni (Rio Grande cottonwood; syn. P. wislizeni) occurs.

<h3>Populus fremontii</h3>
<a href="/facts/Populus_fremontii/dwD0F1Pr">Fremont's cottonwood</a> (P. fremontii) is native to the southwestern United States and western Mexico.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2">2</a> In the United States, the species can be found in <a href="/facts/Arizona/6ayM3swJ">Arizona</a>, <a href="/facts/California/zLW2vdQJ">California</a>, <a href="/facts/Colorado/IgIHrJI5">Colorado</a>, <a href="/facts/Idaho/68ELs9Um">Idaho</a>, <a href="/facts/Nevada/HNWhCrQv">Nevada</a>, <a href="/facts/New_Mexico/wosJCGaW">New Mexico</a>, <a href="/facts/Texas/B987WHF0">Texas</a>, and <a href="/facts/Utah/te7zUyBX">Utah</a>. In Mexico, it can be found in the states of <a href="/facts/Baja_California/vJY3AFwn">Baja California</a>, <a href="/facts/Baja_California_Sur/cyotI1I3">Baja California Sur</a>, <a href="/facts/Sonora/cmLLIFR9">Sonora</a>, <a href="/facts/Chihuahua_(state)/FCeDVWL0">Chihuahua</a>, <a href="/facts/Coahuila/8VsFdVGR">Coahuila</a>, <a href="/facts/Nuevo_Le%25C3%25B3n/Hx950xAz">Nuevo León</a>, <a href="/facts/Mexico_State/4rV3DU0H">Mexico State</a>, and <a href="/facts/Puebla/BXItqVEJ">Puebla</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3">3</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4">4</a> It differs from the eastern cottonwood mainly in the leaves having fewer, larger serrations on the edge, and small differences in the flower and seed pod structure. Some taxonomists formerly considered P. fremontii to be a subspecies of P. deltoides.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5">5</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6">6</a>

<h3>Populus nigra</h3>
<a href="/facts/Populus_nigra/hRJokmFz">Black poplar</a> (P. nigra) is native to Europe and Western Asia, is distinct in its much smaller leaves, 5–11 cm (2.0–4.3 in) across, with a more rhombic (diamond) shape.

<h2 id="cultivation-and-uses">Cultivation and uses</h2>
Cottonwoods are widely grown for <a href="/facts/Timber/jJfdSlJ6">timber</a> production along wet river banks, where their exceptional growth rate provides a large crop of wood within just 10–30 years. The wood is coarse and of fairly low value, used for pallet boxes, shipping crates, and similar purposes where a cheap but strong enough wood is suitable. They are also widely grown as screens and <a href="/facts/Shelterbelt/Qyynpea8">shelterbelts</a>. Many of the cottonwoods grown commercially are the <a href="/facts/Hybrid_(biology)/pzVJ54xU">hybrid</a> of eastern cottonwood and black poplar, Populus × canadensis (hybrid black poplar or Carolina poplar).
Cottonwood bark is often a favorite medium for artisans. The bark, which is usually harvested in the fall after a tree's death, is generally very soft and easy to carve.
Cottonwood is one of the poorest <a href="/facts/Wood_fuel/S6W7k5Pv">wood fuels</a>; it does not dry well, and rots quickly. It splits poorly, because it is very fibrous. It produces a low level of energy per unit of volume of wood.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7">7</a>
Cottonwoods serve as food for the <a href="/facts/Caterpillar/PMgzj7F7">caterpillars</a> of several <a href="/facts/Lepidoptera/yPFPsQmL">Lepidoptera</a>.

<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>
<ul><li><a href="http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/trees_shrubs/bigtree/deciduous.html">Minnesota DNR big tree list</a>. The largest tree by circumference in <a href="/facts/Minnesota/ncgVuC4Q">Minnesota</a> is a Populus deltoides at 394 inches (1,001 centimeters) measured at the trunk 4 and 1/2 feet (137 cm) above the ground. This tree is 106 feet (32.31 meters) tall.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3FEQYuuVFg">Monster Ohio Cottonwood - 528 points in 2005</a> on <a href="/facts/YouTube_video_(identifier)/db276jst">YouTube</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1">Isebrands, Jud G.; Richardson, Jim (February 12, 2014). Poplars and Willows: Trees for Society and the Environment. CABI. ISBN 978-1-78064-108-9 – via Google Books. <a href="978-1-78064-108-9" target="_blank">978-1-78064-108-9</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:2">"Populus fremontii (Fremont cottonwood)". Calflora Database. <a href="http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-taxon=Populus+fremontii" target="_blank">http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-taxon=Populus+fremontii</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:3">"Populus fremontii". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 12 December 2017. <a href="https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxonomydetail.aspx?id=404966" target="_blank">https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxonomydetail.aspx?id=404966</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:4">"Populus fremontii (Fremont's cottonwood)". USDA Plants Profile. <a href="https://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile?symbol=POFR2" target="_blank">https://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile?symbol=POFR2</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:5">Schneider, Al. "Populus deltoides". Wildflowers, Ferns, and Trees of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. <a href="http://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/Tree%20Enlarged%20Photo%20Pages/populus%20deltoides.htm" target="_blank">http://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/Tree%20Enlarged%20Photo%20Pages/populus%20deltoides.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:6">"Populus". North American Plant Atlas. BONAP. Archived from the original on 2012-04-25. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120425154646/http://bonap.org/BONAPmaps2010/Populus.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20120425154646/http://bonap.org/BONAPmaps2010/Populus.html</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:7">Sweep's Library: Firewood Comparison Charts Archived 2006-08-13 at the Wayback Machine The Chimney Sweep. <a href="http://www.chimneysweeponline.com/howood.htm" target="_blank">http://www.chimneysweeponline.com/howood.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
</ol>

Populus sect. Aigeiros open-in-new

Populus sect. Aigeiros