Species PlantsEastern Cottonwood

Eastern Cottonwood

Populus deltoides

CommonPlant
Illustration of Eastern Cottonwood (Populus deltoides)

Eastern Cottonwood is the largest native hardwood of the Great Plains and one of the fastest-growing trees in North America, sometimes exceeding 6 feet of height growth per year. Its cottony seeds fill the air in June. It is a keystone riparian tree providing nesting for great blue herons, bald eagles, and many cavity-nesting birds.

Habitat
Floodplains, riverbanks, and stream corridors of the Great Plains and Midwest
Diet
Nesting habitat for herons and eagles; foliage for many moth and butterfly larvae
How common
Common

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