Eastern cottonwood – Populus deltoides - Plant & Pest Diagnostics

Cottonwood sapling growing among tall grasses in an unmanaged, fallow area.

Eastern cottonwood – Populus deltoides

Populus deltoides Marshall

Salicaceae (Willow family)

MI Status

Native

Life cycle

Fast-growing, weedy tree.

Leaves

Alternate, simple, broadly triangular, 3 to 5 inches long with coarse, incurved-toothed margins and a smooth base. Leaves are shiny green above and have two to five prominent, fingerlike glands where the long, flattened petiole attaches to the leaf. Margins are outlined by a colorless border.

Stems

Up to 100 feet at maturity with a straight trunk and minimal branching. Bark is ash gray on mature trees and greenish yellow on young stems. Plants have the ability to form many vigorous, weedy sprouts.

Flowers and fruit

Male and female flowers are found on separate plants and are clustered in drooping, up to 4-inch-long spikes. Male flowers are reddish; female flowers are greenish. Fruits are three- to four-valved capsules that release cottony, wind-disseminated seeds.

Reproduction

Seeds.

Cottonwood leaves that are alternate, simple, and broadly triangular. — Cottonwood new growth

Cottonwood seeds that are cottony and wind disseminated. The fruit are three to four valved capsules. — Cottonwood seeds

Cottonwood seedling with light green oval shaped cotyledons. — Cottonwood seedling

Cottonwood leaf showing the two to five prominent, fingerlike glands where the long, flattened petiole attaches to the leaf. — Cottonwood glands

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Plant & Pest Diagnostics