eastern cottonwood
Populus deltoides
USDA zones2 to 9
SunHandles full sun to full shade
WaterHandles dry to wet soil
Size50 to 80 feet tall35 to 60 feet wide
- Growth rate
- Rapid
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer, autumn, winter
- Bloom color
- Red (male) and green (female)
- Foliage color
- Green
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay, chalk
- Soil pH
- Circumneutral (pH 6.8-7.2)
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides) is a tree for specimen planting, rain gardens, and low-maintenance sites. It is hardy to USDA zone 2, or down to -50°F (-46°C). This plant likes full sun to full shade and dry to wet soil of most types. It grows fast, but the wood is weak, so limbs can break in wind and ice. Deer rarely make it their first choice. Roots can be invasive, so give it plenty of room.
Pairs well with Indigo bush, Yellow marsh marigold, and Red fescue.
Native range
Eastern and central United States.