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Black Cottonwood
Scientific Name:
Populus trichocarpa
Type:
Tree
Habitat:
Riparian
Range:
Western North America
Status:
Least Concern (IUCN Red List)
This species is
NATIVE
to the Truckee Meadows.
Identification:
Black cottonwoods leaves are fine-toothed and lance-shaped. Their leaves are more pointed than those of Fremont cottonwoods. The underside of the leaves are silvery, while the tops of the leaves are glossy and dark green. The buds are large and resinous and, when squeezed, produce an amber-to-red staining on fingers. Flowers in spring are purple/red. These trees grow between 100 and 200 feet tall.
Fast Facts:
Black cottonwoods are both the largest American poplars and largest hardwood tree in western North America.
Cottonwoods can grow simply from a branch placed in the soil; the branch will form roots and grow into a new tree.
Black cottonwoods need a lot of moisture to grow, so in the Truckee Meadows thay are most commonly found along the Truckee River. These trees provide shade to the Truckee River, which in turn provides the river with more oxygen as well as hiding places for fish.
Black cottonwoods have resinous buds. The resin from the buds coat young leaves in the spring which protects them from insects that would otherwise eat the young growth. The resin from the buds is also used by bees to seal and protect their hives.
In the Paiute language, cottonwoods are called Sungabe.
Sources:
Ronald M. Lanner, Trees of the Great Basin, 1984, book.
Thomas J. Elpel, Botany in a Day, The Patterns Method of Plant Identification”, 2013, book.
Pyramid Lake, The Paiute Language, 2021, http://www.numuinc.com/home/the-tribe/the-paiute-language/
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Science, Black Cottonwood, 2021, https://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/cs_pobat.pdf
IUCN Red List, Black Cottonwood, 2018, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/61960204/61960206
Contributor(s):
Haley McGuire (research & content)
Alex Shahbazi (edits & page design)