Week 5 - Black Cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa) FD8

 

The Black cottonwood or the Populus trichocarpa is a small tree from the Salicaceae family native from Alaska to California along the coast and as east as Alberta and Wyoming. The tree has dark leathery ovate leaves and fruit capsules containing the seeds. An adaptation of the Black Cottonwood is the tolerance to a variety of weather and habitats. The tree is adaptaed to the cold, hotter dry conditions, winter flooding and even fire disturbances. An interesting thing about this tree is it is the fastest growing hardwood in the Western United States.

Image credits: Southern Oregon University