COTTONWOOD

(POPULUS SPECIES)

 

Location:  The labeled tree is right of No. 3 forward tee, near the No. 7 back tee.  Others on the course (which are all smaller) are to the right of the No. 2 fairway, farther down and to the right of the No. 3 fairway and to the left of the No. 9 fairway inside the 100 yard marker.

Tree Information: This large tree is most likely Populus trichocarpa but was original to the property at the time of the building of the second nine holes. This is usually called Black Cottonwood. The species is the subject of considerable gnomic research. This plant grows from the Yukon to Baja. The name Tricocarpa means “hairy fruited” from the Greek thrix, hair and karpos, fruit.

http://owic.oregonstate.edu/black-cottonwood-populus-trichocarpa

Size: may grow to over 100’ and live 400 years.  A champion tree near Salem Oregon is 155’ tall with a 29’ girth.

Growth Rate: Rapid. Depending of conditions. Some cultivars can grow 15’ per year.

Foliage Description:

Leaves alternate, simple, broadly ovate, 7-12 cm long, base usually rounded (sometimes wedge- or heart-shaped), finely toothed, dark green above, silvery green below. 

The seed catkins bear nearly spherical capsules, about 4 mm, which split into 3 parts to release silky tufts ("cotton") with attached small seeds (about 2 mm long).



USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-9

Provenance: Present at the time of the building of the second nine.