Plains cottonwood
- Latin name: Populus deltoides ssp. monilifera (Ait.) Eckenw.
- French name: Peuplier deltoïde de l'Ouest
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Taxonomic Serial Number: 22447
22449 [syn. P. deltoides var. occidentalis Rydb.]
195711 [syn. P. sargentii Dode] - C2 , NA2
Description
Leaves
Form
- Triangular, tip taper-pointed
- Often pendulous
- 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
- 5–10 cm
- Tip longer than eastern cottonwood
Colour
- Upper surface bright shiny green
- Lower surface slightly paler
- Petiole yellowish-green
Margin
- 5–15 rounded teeth per side, no teeth on the tip or near the petiole
- Narrow, translucent
- Teeth smaller and more numerous on neoformed leaves
Petiole
- Smooth
- Hairless
- Flattened
- Long
Buds
Form
- Terminal bud 3-sided
- Slender, long-pointed
- Very resinous, covered with minute hairs
- Lateral leaf buds slightly smaller, diverging from the twig
- Flower buds stout
- Leaf scars large, 3-lobed, with eyelash-like hairs at juncture of bud and scar
Length
- About 20 mm
Colour
- Yellowish-brown
Twigs
Form
- Stout, smooth, hairless
- Angular in cross-section
- Narrow ridges extend down from either side of the bud
- Lenticels sparse, linear
Colour
- Light yellow
Flowers
Length
- Catkins 5–7 cm
Structure
- Dioecious
Fruits
Form
- Stalk hairless
- Capsules oval, tapering to both ends
- Splitting into 3 or 4 parts when mature
Length
- Mature seed catkins 15–25 cm
- Capsules 8–12 mm
Bark
Form
- Smooth, with age becoming deeply furrowed
Colour
- Yellowish-grey, with age becoming dark grey
Size
Height
- To 30 m
Diameter
- To 100 cm
Maximum age
- 50 years
Tree form
Forest-grown
Trunk
- Long, straight
Crown
- Small, rounded
Open-grown
Trunk
- Short, massive
- Often divided near the ground into a few large, wide-spreading limbs
Crown
- Broad, irregular-shaped, open
Root System
- Usually shallow, wide-spreading
- Sometimes deep
Habitat
Site
- Rich moist sites, stream banks
- Frequently planted on the prairies for shelterbelts
Associated species
- In open stands with other species; sometimes forms pure stands
Range
In the southern parts of the Prairie provinces; south to Texas
Naturalized along many streams and rivers outside its natural range
In Ontario, plains cottonwood intergrades with eastern cottonwood
Insects and diseases
Insects
Diseases
Insects and diseases that are found most frequently and/or that cause the most damage in our Canadian forests.
Photos
Distribution map
