Family: Salicaceae, Willow view all from this family

Description Large tree with a massive trunk often forked into stout branches, and broad, open crown of spreading and slightly drooping branches.
Height: 100' (30 m).
Diameter: 3-4' (0.9-1.2 m), often larger.
Leaves: 3-7" (7.5-18 cm) long, 3-5" (7.5-13 cm) wide. Triangular; long-pointed; usually straight at base; curved, coarse teeth; slightly thickened; shiny green, turning yellow in autumn. Leafstalks long, slender, flattened.
Bark: yellowish-green and smooth; becoming light gray, thick, rough, and deeply furrowed.
Twigs: brownish; stout, with large resinous or sticky buds.
Flowers: catkins 2-3 1/2" (5-9 cm) long; brownish; male and female on separate trees; in early spring.
Fruit: 3/8" (10 mm) long; elliptical capsules, light brown; maturing in spring and splitting into 3-4 parts; many on slender stalks in catkin to 8" (20 cm) long; many tiny cottony seeds.

Habitat Bordering streams and in wet soils in valleys; in pure stands or often with willows. Pioneers on new sandbars and bare flood plains.

Range Widespread S. Alberta east to extreme S. Quebec and New Hampshire, south to NW. Florida, west to W. Texas, and north to central Montana; to 1000' (305 m) in east, to 5000' (1524 m) in west.

Discussion One of the largest eastern hardwoods, it is used for boxes and crates, furniture, plywood, woodenware, matches and pulpwood. Planted as a shade tree and for shelterbelts. The common name refers to the abundant cottony seeds; another name, "Necklace Poplar," alludes to the resemblance of the long, narrow line of seed capsules to a string of beads. Although short-lived, it is one of the fastest-growing native trees; on favorable sites in the Mississippi Valley, trees average 5' (1.5 m) in height growth annually with as much as 13' (4 m) the first year. Plains Cottonwood (var. occidentalis Rydb.), a western variety, has slightly smaller leaves that are often broader than long and more coarsely toothed.