Frémont Cottonwood

Populus fremontii

The Frémont Cottonwood is a tall tree with big, heart-shaped leaves. It grows near rivers and loves sunny places. This tree provides shade and homes for many animals.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Frémont Cottonwood has large, bright green, triangular to heart-shaped leaves that turn brilliant golden-yellow in autumn. Its deeply furrowed, grayish bark often reveals a yellow inner layer on mature trunks. It produces abundant fluffy, white, cotton-like seeds in summer.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderMalpighialesFamilySalicaceaeGenusPopulus

Frémont Cottonwood

Interesting facts

Its leaves flutter loudly in the wind, sounding like distant rain.

Native Americans used its bark for medicine and its wood for drums!

The famous Lewis and Clark expedition recorded these towering trees!

This tree is a 'pioneer' species, often the first to grow in disturbed areas.

Special abilities

Frémont Cottonwood has incredibly deep roots that help it find crucial water, even in dry riverbeds.

Frémont Cottonwood can grow super fast, quickly providing shade and shelter in new riparian areas.

Frémont Cottonwood releases thousands of fluffy seeds that fly on the wind to find new homes.

Measurements & details

Height: 1500-3500 cm
Spread: 1000-2500 cm
Bloom Season: Spring
Edible: Yes
Toxicity: None
Lifecycle: Perennial
Pollination Method: Wind

Ecological connections

eats

North American Beaver

Castor canadensis

eats its bark and uses branches for dams

shelters

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Coccyzus americanus

nests in its dense canopy near water

eats

Western Tiger Swallowtail

Papilio rutulus

larvae feed on its leaves

shelters

Great Horned Owl

Bubo virginianus

roosts and nests in its tall branches

Traits

Deciduous

Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.

Shade Tolerant

Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight.

Broadleaf Tree

Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates.

Pollinator Magnet

Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

Rapid Growing

Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.

Timber

Timber refers to wood that has been prepared for use in building and carpentry.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.