Eastern Cottonwood Tree Facts, Pictures, Identification, Leaves, Seeds, Bark

The Eastern cottonwood, also known as Populus deltoides, is a species of tree that is native to Iowa and is known for its rapid growth. Young trees frequently develop to heights of more than 6 feet annually. The largest specimen found in Iowa has a diameter of more than 11 feet, a height of 80 feet, and a width that is more than 85 feet.

The eastern cottonwood is a big tree that is known for its rapid growth and can be found in lowland settings, as well as along streams and rivers. It is indigenous to eastern North America between the Midwest and Chicago. It is most effective when grown on big properties outside of residential areas because of its size, brittle wood, and penetrating roots.

Identification

Cottonwood trees are easily identifiable by their alternately arranged, simple leaves that range in length from three to five inches and have a triangular form. These leaves have coarse, curving teeth and a petiole that is flattened. Winter twigs have a star-shaped pith, a moderate diameter, and a gray-green tint. The terminal bud measures 1/2 to 3/4 inches in length, is glossy chestnut-brown in colour, and is coated in resin that has a balsam aroma. Young trees have thin, smooth, light gray-green bark; elderly trees have thick, deeply furrowed bark with protracted, ash-gray ridges. Cottonwood trees are dioecious, meaning that they have separate male and female plants. Cottonwood petals appear in the early spring, before the leaves develop. The capsule-shaped fruit produces a "cottony" mass close to the parent tree because it is filled with many tufted seeds.

Pictures

Facts

Cottonwood is not a particularly hardy or resilient tree, which is one reason why it is not employed to a large extent as a shade tree or plant in landscape design. Cottonwood has a quick rate of growth, which makes it useful for beautification or windbreaks. To avoid the cotton problem during seed production, choose a male selection for the majority of shade or windbreak usage.

Cottonwood has a light and pliable wood that is pale in colour and lacks a noticeable grain pattern. Pallet lumber, crates, concealed furniture components, and dimension timber, are its most common uses.

Leaves

The leaves of eastern cottonwood are triangular (deltoid) and have curving teeth on the margins. As the tree ages, the bark changes from being smooth and silvery-white to becoming rough, grey, and extensively fissured. Leaves have coarse, curving teeth and a petiole that is flattened. Winter twigs have a star-shaped pith, a moderate diameter, and a gray-green tint. 

Seeds

During the growth season, cottonwoods bloom. Fruiting capsules, which have the appearance of a string of green pearls, are produced by female trees at the beginning of the spring season. After that, when the capsules have reached their maturity, they will split apart, and the tree will then release those cottony seeds.

Bark

Typically, the bark of young trees is smooth, superficially wrinkled, and light grey to yellow-green in colour. The bark turns grey with age, becoming harder and more deeply furrowed. This process occurs as the trees mature. The brown, angular twigs that grow from the bark have huge, three-quarter-inch long buds.

Both the resin and the bark of the tree can be used to build containers that are suitable for storing and transporting food. The resin is often used to seal containers and baskets. Cottonwood oil is particularly beneficial for painful muscles and swollen, arthritic joints.