Eastern Cottonwood State Tree of Kansas

The state tree of Kansas is the Eastern Cottonwood (Populus deltoides). This native tree is also known as plains cottonwood, Rio Grande cottonwood, and plains poplar. The cottonwood is found from Canada on south to the Gulf of Mexico. The tree is commonly seen by rivers and in flood plains. The cottonwood can reach a height of 190 feet with a diameter of 1-10 feet. The cottonwood can have a canopy spread of 40-60 feet and is hardy to Zone 2.

The cottonwood prefers full sun and will have a full canopy when there is adequate room to grow. When the trees are closely space, the more typical form is a bare pole with branching at the top in a rounded shape. The trees grow best in moist soil and can adapt to a range of pH values. The trees are salt and drought tolerant.

The cottonwood is a fair choice for street trees if there is adequate room for the roots in the lawn extension and for the canopy to spread over the street. The cottonwood is a fair selection for large landscapes and park settings. It is a shade tree with limited ornamental value for its decorative bark. The roots are known to upset sewers, septic tanks, drains, and sidewalks.

The Eastern cottonwood is harvested commercially. The wood is soft and weak which makes it useful in the manufacture of veneer, plywood, fiberboard, pulp, and limited-usage items such as pallets, crates, and good containers. Early people used the wood for cradles, tubes, toys, and ceremonial images. The tree was also used as the pole supports for teepees. There is some evidence the pattern for teepees comes from the shape of the leaf.

The leaf color is green during the growing season and a yellow in the fall. The fruit of the cottonwood is a cotton-like fuzz ball approximately 1/4 inch long that appears in June or July. There is a male cultivar called Siouxland that does not produce the cotton seeds. This tree litters entire neighborhoods with seed dispersion and can clog screens and air conditioner condensers.

The leaves and bark of the cottonwood provide a food source for mice, rabbits, deer, and cattle. Some climates include cottonwood forests that are home to wild turkeys. Cottonwoods provide nesting sites for birds and squirrels, and they are a favorite source of building material used by beavers.

Cottonwood trees are used in land reclamation projects. The root system of cottonwoods makes the trees a good selection for the banks of rivers and streams where they can prevent soil from being washed away.

Cottonwood trees are propagated by seed and by cuttings. If managed locations and reforesting sites, protection from grazing may be necessary. The trees may also need ground cover vegetation cleared to allow the tree roots to become established.

The tree has predators. It is susceptible to bacterial and fungal diseases. There are many insects that attack the tree. The soft wood is prone to storm damage.

Sources
Populus deltoides, US Forest Service, http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/popdel/all.html
Populus deltoides, University of Connecticut, http://www.hort.uconn.edu/Plants/p/popdel/popdel1.html
Populus deltoides, University of Illinois Extension, http://urbanext.illinois.edu/hortanswers/plantdetail.cfm?PlantID=250&PlantTypeID=7