E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Flora of BC

Populus deltoides W. Bartram ex Marshall subsp. deltoides
eastern cottonwood
Salicaceae (Willow family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

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Map

Distribution of Populus deltoides subsp. deltoides
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Species Information

General:
Dioecious tree up to 20 m tall; not colonial; branches yellowish-brown to grey; twigs yellowish, smooth.

Leaves:
Alternate, deciduous, simple, triangular, 4-10 cm long, 4-11 cm wide, the bases heart-shaped or squared-off, smooth, finely toothed and hairy, the teeth often callous-tipped, both sides green; leaf stalks 4-14 cm long, often with a pair of glands near the blade; buds finely hairy with fringed scales, resinous.

Flowers:
Borne in catkins; male catkins 5-9 cm long, soon deciduous, with 40-60 stamens; female catkins 8-15 cm long.

Fruits:
Capsules, egg-shaped, carpels 3-4, smooth, short-stalked.

Notes:
Two subspecies apparently occur in BC:

1. Winter buds smooth; emerging leaves long-hairy; flower stalks variable in length ....................ssp. Deltoides

1. Winter buds pubescent; emerging leaves smooth; flower stalks uniform in length (less than 6 mm long)..................... ssp. monilifera (W. Aiton) Eckenwalder

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Habitat and Range

Mesic to dry fields and disturbed sites; rare in SC and SE BC; introduced from E North America.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Status Information

Scientific Name	Origin Status	Provincial Status	BC List (Red Blue List)	COSEWIC
Populus deltoides ssp. deltoides	Exotic	SNA (2001)	Exotic	Not Listed
Populus deltoides ssp. monilifera	Exotic	SNA (2000)	Exotic	Not Listed

BC Ministry of Environment: BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer.

Synonyms

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Populus angulata Ait.
Populus angulata var. missouriensis A. Henry
Populus balsamifera var. missouriensis (A. Henry) Rehd.
Populus balsamifera var. pilosa Sarg.
Populus balsamifera var. virginiana (Foug.) Sarg.
Populus canadensis var. virginiana (Foug.) Fiori
Populus deltoides var. angulata (Ait.) Sarg.
Populus deltoides var. missouriensis (A. Henry) A. Henry
Populus deltoides var. pilosa (Sarg.) Sudworth
Populus deltoides var. virginiana (Foug.) Sudworth
Populus nigra var. virginiana (Foug.) Castigl.
Populus palmeri Sarg.
Populus virginiana Foug.
Populus virginiana var. pilosa (Sarg.) F.C. Gates