Tree Description
Eastern cottonwoods are large trees growing to 100 feet and having a short, stout trunk about 6 feet in diameter. The tree has thick, heavy branches that form a rounded, spreading crown.
Range / Site Description
These trees occur naturally along streambanks, river bottoms, and sandbars in East and Central Texas. They are also planted as fast-growing shade trees on rural homesteads.
Leaf
The leaves are simple and alternate. The triangular shaped leaf blade is 3” to 5” long and wide; it is on a flattened petiole 2” to 3” long. It is pointed at the tip, square at the base or slightly heart shaped, and coarsely toothed on the margin. The leaf’s upper surface is shiny and medium green, and its underside is lighter in color. The flat petiole makes the leaves twist and shimmer even in light breezes.
Flower & Fruit
Male and female flowers are borne on separate trees before the leaves emerge. Male flowers are borne on catkins 2” long, and female flowers are borne on catkins 3” long. The flowers grow in loose clusters.
The fruit is a long string of capsules, 8” to 12” long, ripening in early summer, each containing several seeds with white silky hairs which permit the winds to carry them for long distances.
Interesting Facts
The sight of cottonwoods in the distance was a sure sign of water to early settlers during their travels west. The Mission San Antonio de Valero is commonly known as ‘The Alamo,’ borrowed from the Spanish word for ‘cottonwood,’ because of the presence of nearby cottonwood trees.
Species Summary
| Scientific Name: | Populus deltoides |
| Secondary Names: | n/a |
| Tree Type: | Deciduous |
| Dimensions: | Height: 100 feet Trunk Diameter: 6 feet |
| Leaf Structure: | Simple, alternate |
| Leaf Size: | 3-5 inches long and 3-5 inches wide |
| Leaf Shape: | Triangular or slightly heart shaped |
| Leaf Margin: | Coarsely toothed |
| Additional Information: | iNaturalist – Eastern Cottonwood |
Source: Texas A&M Forest Service Trees of Texas – Eastern Cottonwood