Cottonwood is a large tree with long, straight trunk and massive branches forming a rounded top. The Eastern Cottonwood is both a fast growing and a short-lived tree. Size - 100 ft. (30.48 m) tall. The leaf on the right, with the long petiole, is from a Populus deltoides, or Plains and eastern cottonwood. It falls somewhere between crenate to serrate, and is even considered to be dentate in some texts. Cottonwood gets its common name from the wads of cotton surrounding its seeds, which facilitate dispersal by wind and water. Hardiness: Zones 2 through 9 . Leaf Shape, Margin, and Venation. It generally has a thin, spreading crown and a straight bole. Leaf Size 3 to 5" long and wide. Eastern Redbud has an irregular growth habit when young but forms a gr… Underside is smooth and a pale green. Plants. The largest specimen in Iowa is over 11 feet in diameter, 80 feet tall and more than 85 feet in width. Celtis conferta subsp. Fire scars may facilitate the onset of heartwood decay. Leaf Length - 3 to 5 inches. eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides) Leaf: Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, 3 to 6 inches long, triangular (deltoid) in shape with a crenate/serrate margin. Deep planting permits reforesting of nonproductive fields with sandy soils having available moisture beneath a dry surface layer. It grows best on moist well-drained sands or silts near streams, often in pure stands. Altitude is a primary determiner of the western boundary. The 2 to 5 inch long, simple, triangle-shaped, deciduous leaves have a toothed margin, and an elongated tip. The state tree of Oklahoma, Eastern Redbud is a moderate to rapid-grower when young, reaching a height of 20 to 30 feet. Leaf: Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, 3 to 6 inches long, triangular (deltoid) in shape with a crenate/serrate margin. Leaf Arrangement Alternate. Use "esc" to exit the lightbox. Eastern Cottonwood (Populus deltoides) Leaf Margins: Crenate. Beavers are known to use cottonwood poles for construction of their dams. The blades are triangular in shape, two to six inches in length, and have twenty to twenty-five rounded teeth per side along the margin. The splendid purple-pink flowers appear all over the tree in spring, just before the leaves emerge. This is a dioecious tree species. Click on second leaf photo for enlargement to see flattened stem and glands at base of leaf. Due to its large size, weak wood, and penetrating roots, it is best used on large properties away from residential areas. All tree leaves exhibit margins (leaf blade edges) that are either serrated or smooth. Photo credit: Larry Korhnak, University of Florida, UF School of Forest Resources & Conservation. Upper surface bright shiny green; Lower surface slightly paler ; Petiole yellowish-green; Margin. Eastern cottonwood is one of the few hardwood species that is planted and grown specifically for these purposes. The eastern cottonwood is a member of the willow family (Salicaceae). Cookies. Eastern cottonwood requires leaf N concentrations of at least 2 percent to maximize volume production (Blackmon and White 1972). Leaves are green in summer, turning yellow or brown in fall. Eastern Cottonwood Populus deltoides Willow family (Salicaceae) Description: This deciduous tree is 60-120' tall at maturity. Tree leaf chart: Leaf shape and arrangement. Though necklace poplar (also known as eastern cottonwood) is a short-lived tree, already old at age 75, it can grow to 100 feet (30m) or more in height in its native streamside habitats. Habitat. The leaves are large and deltoid (triangular) in shape with a more or less flattened base and long petiole. The abundant branches are ascending above and drooping below; they are somewhat crooked and knobby. Populus angustifolia (narrowleaf cottonwood), in the Great Basin; Populus heterophylla (swamp cottonwood), in the eastern United States; Populus trichocarpa (black cottonwood), in the Pacific Northwest of North America Flowers and Fruits Flower Type - Unisexual catkins on female trees bear many seeds surrounded by silky or cottony hairs. Size 75 to 100' Bloom Time March to April. Image by Wikimedia Commons. The trunk bark of mature trees is thick, gray, and coarsely ridged. Tree leaf shapes . Cottonwood buds are also somewhat distinctive, in winter and early spring they are large, long, and pointed. × Fall Color Yellow. Note: The margin of the Eastern Cottonwood is a bit difficult to discern. Populus deltoids, commonly called common cottonwood is a large, fast-growing tree or shrub. Texture: glabrous. Eastern cottonwood is a large, fast-growing tree found growing along streams, rivers, and lowland areas. Often the description can vary because of the maturity of the leaf. The north-south distribution extends from latitude 28 N. to 46 N. It is absent from the higher Appalachian areas and from much of Florida and the Gulf Coast except along rivers. This NC native plant is found at fine sandy loams or silt loams in stream banks of the piedmont and coastal plain. It sometimes reaches a height of 100 to 130 feet and a diameter of 5 to 6 feet. The eastern cottonwood is a member of the willow family (Salicaceae). Eastern cottonwood. Eastern Cottonwood; Eastern Poplar; Poplar; Phonetic Spelling POP-yoo-lus del-TOY-deez Description. There has also been interest in growing it for inclusion in cattle feed, since it is a good source of cellulose relatively free of undesirable components, such as tannins. Click on any thumbnail to see a photo. Find the perfect eastern cottonwood stock photo. Leaf Margin. Eastern Cottonwood, Eastern Poplar Salicaceae. Family Salicaceae. There has been considerable interest in cottonwood for energy biomass, because of its high yield potential and coppicing ability. Eastern cottonwood is a medium-sized tree that reaches heights of 50âto 100â in height. Mature trees have deep grooves with thick ridges and are light brown to ash-gray in color. Conical capsule 5 to 9 inches in length borne on pendent stalks, 8 to 12 inches long. Leaves: Arrangement: alternate . Thirty-year-old specimens are rare, but they can reach 35 feet in height forming a rounded vase. Form: This is a medium-sized tree reaching 70-100 ft. in height and 2.5- 4 ft dbh. Tree leaves come in all sorts and sizes, and knowing the shape of particular leaves can help to quickly identify the tree species. Leaf Margin Serrated. It develops a single stout trunk up to 4-6' across and forms an ovoid crown in open situations. (Dave Powell/USDA Forest Service/CC BY 3.0 us), (U.S. Geological Survey/Wikimedia Commons), (Bureau of Land Management/Wikimedia Commons), Cucumbertree, A Common Tree in North America, Mockernut Hickory, A Common Tree in North America, Black Locust, a Common Tree in North America, White Oak, A Common Tree in North America, Slippery Elm, A Common Tree in North America, Southern Red Oak, a Common Tree in North America, American Beech, a Common Tree in North America, Butternut, a Common Tree in North America, Black Oak, a Common Tree in North America, Scarlet Oak, A Top 100 Common Tree in North America, Willow Oak: Favorite Wildlife Food and Landscape Tree, B.S., Forest Resource Management, University of Georgia. Twig: Stout, somewhat angled and yellowish; buds are 3/4 inch long, covered with several brown, resinous scales. Male and female flowers develop on separate trees. Named after 19th century American explorer John C. Fremont, it is similar to the Eastern Cottonwood, differing mainly in the leaves having fewer, larger serrations on the leaf edge and small … One last identification feature is to follow the cotton in early summer. Has a bitter aspirin taste. Steve Nix is a natural resources consultant and a former forest resources analyst for the state of Alabama. Common Name - Eastern Cottonwood. Form. Latin name: Populus deltoides ssp. Cottonwood has been used for windbreaks and soil stabilization. Lump Growth on a Cottonwood Tree. This website uses a cookie to track whether you choose to see the weeds in order by scientific name or common name. Expand. Eastern cottonwood is an exceedingly rapid-growing, moisture-loving species that is found locally in moist places and along streams and lakes throughout the state except at the higher elevations. Female flowers elongate to 15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 in). The lightweight, rather soft wood is used primarily for core stock in manufacturing furniture and for pulpwood. Triangular, tip taper-pointed; Often pendulous; Usually 3–5 warty glands at the base of the leaf blade; Neoformed leaves broadly ovate, hairy when unfolding; Length. deltoides Bartr. a deciduous tree; wide spreading; pyramidal in youth; open, oval, irregular crown; 80' to 100' tall; 40' to 60' wide; coarse texture; fast growth rate; Summer Foliage. Some improved clones in some tree plantations have yielded trees that grew up to 10 feet per year. Leaf Width - 3 to 5 inches. occidentalis, plains cottonwood, where the ranges overlap. The leaf shape of cottonwood trees will set them apart from tuliptrees. Mature trees with thick bark may be only scarred or top-killed. The mature eastern cottonwood grows to a height of 65-130 ft. (20-40 m). Eastern cottonwood is also sometimes called southern cottonwood, Carolina poplar, eastern poplar, necklace poplar, and álamo. (7.62 – 12.7 cm) wide, sometimes triangular, sometimes heart-shaped, leaf margin serrated; petioles flat. Eastern Cottonwood - Populus deltoides Leaves are alternate, simple, single toothed, triangle shaped. No need to register, buy now! Ecological Role - The cottonwood is a producer, transforming the sun’s energy into food energy. amblyphylla; Hibiscus tiliaceus, a flowering shrub or tree in the mallow family; In the genus Populus, a number of difficult-to-distinguish trees: . Margin: crenate-serrate. Eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides) is the fastest growing and largest tree found in Iowa. Fast-growing yet relatively short-lived, cottonwoods are easily distinguished by their triangular- (or deltoid-) shaped leaves that easily flutter in the wind. Flower Reddish. The lightweight, rather soft wood is used primarily for core stock in manufacturing furniture and for pulpwood. native to eastern North America; hardy to zone 2; Habit and Form . 5–10 cm; Tip longer than eastern cottonwood; Colour. Eastern cottonwood grows along streams and on bottomlands from southern Quebec westward into North Dakota and southwestern Manitoba, south to central Texas, and east to northwestern Florida and Georgia. eastern cottonwood Salicaceae Populus deltoides W. Bartram ex Marshall symbol: PODE3 Leaf: Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, 3 to 6 inches long, triangular (deltoid) in shape with a crenate/serrate margin. Leaf buds are large, 1-inch long, reddish green and pointed. USDA Forest Service Fire Effects Information System (FEIS) -. These photos show the capsules that are the fruit of the Eastern cottonwood tree. Eastern Cottonwood Populus deltoides. Male clones, which have none of the objectionable "cotton" associated with seed, are preferred. Leaf margins can be … Use left and right arrows to navigate. It grows tall as well, averaging 80-100 ft but potentially growing as high as 200 ft. The petiole is flattened and glands are present at the top of the petiole. This tree species occurs from Alberta east to Quebec and south to Florida, Texas, Arizona, and northern Mexico. Leaves are simple, alternate, and deciduous. Eastern cottonwood seedlings and young trees are browsed upon by a variety of mammals including rabbits, deer, and domestic livestock. The petiole is distinctively flattened, making the leaf flap from side to side rather than up and down. The wood is light, soft, and weak. Its growth may exceed 10 feet in height its first year, about 5 feet in height in each succeeding year, and about 1 inch in diameter per year. Description. Trees of this size are often found on moist sites. We have looked at ways of identifying leaves by looking at the way they are arranged on the stem and their overall shape. The Fremont Cottonwood, also known as the Western Cottonwood or the Rio Grande Cottonwood, Populus fremontii, occurs in California east to Utah and Arizona and south into northwest Mexico. Eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides), one of the largest eastern hardwoods, is short-lived but the fastest-growing commercial forest species in North America. Cottonwood leaves are triangular with course teeth along the margins. Fast-growing yet relatively short-lived, cottonwoods are easily distinguished by their triangular- (or deltoid-) shaped leaves that easily flutter in the wind. Cottonwood trees (Populus spp.) Flower: Species is dioecious; male and female as pendulous catkins, appearing before the leaves. Eastern Cottonwood Leaf - Photo by Paul Wray, Iowa State University. The wood is light, soft, and weak, and is dark brown in color with thick nearly white sapwood, warping badly in drying. Cultural Requirements. The capsules have short stalks and grow on long catkins. The cottonwood is a large, relatively short-lived tree with a wide, spreading crown and a large straight trunk. Eastern cottonwood has limited timber use. The leaf petiole is 3 to 4 inches long and flatted. It grows best on moist well-drained sands or silts near streams, often in pure stands. Tuliptrees have very distinctive leaves. Eastern cottonwood is frequently planted to give quick shade near homes. Shape: deltoid with truncate base. It is native to eastern North America through the Midwest and Chicago region. The tree is a hardwood and the lineal taxonomy is Magnoliopsida > Salicales > Salicaceae > Populus deltoides deltoides Bartr. Specific Epithet deltoides. He is a member of the Society of American Foresters. It is not uncommon for young trees to grow in excess of 6 feet in height each year. Fire generally kills eastern cottonwood. Light gray-brown and smooth with shallow grooves on young trees. Eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides) Family: Salicaceae . Huge collection, amazing choice, 100+ million high quality, affordable RF and RM images. Nonetheless, it is still utilized in the making of containers, furniture parts, and high-grade pulp. Common name: Banana tree Scientific name: Musa Leaf shape: Oblong shape FIGURE 7 8. Bark Ridge and furrowed. Forestryimages.org provides several images of parts of Eastern cottonwood. The petiole is flattened and glands are present at the top of the petiole. It is used for pulp and for boxes. The western boundary is not well defined because eastern cottonwood intergrades with var. Arboretum Collection LT. Lifecycle. Each capsule has 3 or 4 valves. Eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides), one of the largest eastern hardwoods, is short-lived but the fastest-growing commercial forest species in North America. McSush/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY 3.0. French name: Peuplier deltoïde; Taxonomic Serial Number: 22446 Description Leaves. The yellowish twigs are stout and contain a bitter aspirin taste. 5–10 cm; Colour. Look for snowstorms of this cotton in early June. Both male and female flowers are pendulous catkins. The poplar petiole gall aphid (Pemphigus populitransversus) lays its eggs on cottonwood leaves, producing characteristic marble-sized galls where the petiole meets the blade of the leaf. ex Marsh . Leaf Type Simple. Also, the edge (margin) of the latter is deeply notched (crenelated), while that of the angustifolia is less so, and the balsamifera's is smooth. Leaf Color - Lustrous, bright-green during summer, golden-yellow in late fall. INTRODUCTION A leaf is an above-ground plant organ specialized ... American planetree Scientific name: Plantanus occidentalis Leaf shape: Palmate shape FIGURE 6 Tip Vein Margin Midrib Petiole Tip Margin Petiole Midrib Vein. ... 17.78 cm) long and 3 – 5 in. The bark is silvery-white, smooth, or lightly fissured when young, becoming darker gray and deeply fissured on older trees. ex Marsh. are large, quick-growing trees valued for their vibrant autumn foliage. Genus Populus. 7. The petiole is flattened and glands are present at the top of the petiole. The new growth is high in protein and minerals. 1 or 2 glands at the base of the leaf blade; Neoformed leaves broadly ovate, hairy when unfolding ; Base more rounded than eastern cottonwood; Length. It is shade-intolerant and found on rich, moist sites often near rivers and streams. Leaves are alternate, simple, 3–7 inches long, broadly triangular, abruptly pointed, with coarse teeth with tiny hairs, small glands at base of leaf blade; upper surface green, shiny; lower surface paler, smooth; leaf stalk slender, flattened. Of cotton surrounding its seeds, which facilitate dispersal by wind and water or shrub only... 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