Plains Cottonwood

The Plains Cottonwood (Populus sargentii) is a large-sized, fast-growing shade tree. It has a broad, rounded crown with a coarse, irregular, and spreading branching habit that provides exceptional shade. Its leaves are toothed and are glossy, bright green, and triangle-shaped, turning a mild yellow in the fall. It can have a somewhat aggressive root system which makes it unsuitable to be planted near houses or structures. Its bark is a light gray color that could almost be silver and is deeply furrowed on very mature trees.  

The Plains Cottonwood is the western subspecies of the common Eastern Cottonwood. This tree is a fully male cultivar and is cottonless. Its leaves are more coarsely toothed and a bit smaller than the eastern relative. This is the state tree of Wyoming. It is suitable for large sites where the tree has plenty of room to grow. Its canopy is often as wide as it is tall and the trunk can get very thick, up to 5 feet in diameter. A very suitable shade provider, it can be quite captivating in big yards. It is quite hardy and adaptable, able to grow up to 7000 feet elevation. Does best in full sun and can grow in most soil types. It is also drought tolerant and can even tolerate some standing water.