Cottonwood

Description

Overall view of a cottonwood tree in an open field.

Cottonwood (Populus spp. /Salicaceae). The genus Populus (Cottonwood/Aspen/True Poplar Group) contains about 35 species native to Eurasia and North Africa, Central America and North America. All species are identical at the cellular level. Cottonwood trees can attain heights of 190 ft with diameters of 6 ft. Populus sapwood is white and the heartwood is light brown. The wood is weak and soft and can produce a sour odor when wet. Tension wood occurs frequently and causes a fuzzy surface when cut. Cottonwood does not work well and is nonresistant to heartwood decay. It is used for agricultural implements, boxes, crates, cutting boards, food containers, interior furniture parts, lumber, plywood short bolts, pulpwood, veneer, and wooden wares.

Tech Sheet

https://research.fs.usda.gov/silvics/eastern-cottonwood

Characteristics

Close view of cottonwood branch with leaves and fruit.

Characteristics found in the Cottonwood (Populus spp.):

  • Diffuse porous
  • Simple perforations
  • I/V pits medium to large (8-50)
  • Homocellular, uniseriate rays
  • R/V pitting foraminate or salicoid

Slides (Click on each image to view a larger image)

WOOD SLIDES

Microscope slide of radial section of Cottonwood.

Radial section of Poplar (Populus sp.) showing a homocellular ray with foraminate or salicoid ray-vessel pitting on procumbent cells.

Microscope slide of transverse section of Cottonwood. Arrows identify the growth ring boundary.
Microscope slide of transverse section of Cottonwood at higher magnification. Arrows identify the fibers, earlywood vessels, growth ring boundary, latewood vessels, and rays.
Microscope slide of a radial section of Cottonwood. Arrows identify the rays, inter-vessel pits, and vessels.
Microscope slide of a radio section of Cottonwood at higher magnification. Arrows identify the vessels and ray vessel pits.
Microscope slide of radial section of Cottonwood at high magnification. Arrows point to the vessel, ray vessel pits, and the growth ring boundary.
Microscope slide of the radial section of Cottonwood. Arrows point to the growth ring boundary, the ray, the ray vessel pits, and the vessel.
Microscope slide of tangential section of Cottonwood. Arrows point to the rays.
Microscope slide of a tangential section of Cottonwood at high magnification. Arrows point to the inter-vessel pitting.

CHARCOAL SLIDES

Microscope slide of transverse section of Cottonwood charcoal. Arrows point to the vessels, and the growth ring boundary.
Microscope slide of transfer section of Cottonwood charcoal at higher magnification. Arrows point to the vessels and the growth ring boundaries.
Microscope slide of transverse section of Cottonwood charcoal. Arrows identify the growth ring boundaries.
Microscope slide of radial section of Cottonwood charcoal. Arrows point to the rays.
Microscope slide of a radial section of Cottonwood charcoal at higher magnification. Arrows point to the ray.
Microscope slide of the tangential section of Cottonwood charcoal. Arrows point to the vessels.
Microscope slide of the tangential section of Cottonwood charcoal at higher magnification. Arrows point to the uniseriate type rays and inter-vessel pits