Black CottonwoodPopulus trichocarpaHeight: 80' average mature height Zones: 4-9 Find my zone Aspect: mostly sun to full sun Watering: needs occasional summer irrigation, about one deep watering cycle per month once established Maximum Water: tolerates wet soils with occasional summer flooding Habit: spreads slowly to moderately by the roots Foliage: deciduous Native To: AK, CA, ID, MT, ND, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY
Size Availability
Out of season.
unrooted cutting - $1.00 each
Our main crop of most plants is available starting in late fall.
Additional batches of plugs and quarts are added throughout the year.
Many of our plants are propagated in limited quantities and can sell out quickly when posted, get on the notification list below so you don't miss out. Add your email to be notified as soon as we have them back in stock:
This does NOT subscribe your email to any mailing lists, our system will only send an inventory notification message.
Production notes: reliable production Black Cottonwoods are fast growing trees that are typically found along creeks across the west and are great for restoration projects due to their value for wildlife, both as quick-establishing habitat as well as food for various mammals, insects, and birds. Cottonwoods also support the caterpillars of over 300 species of butterflies, greatly increasing the number of pollinators in the landscape and also providing critical food for birds rearing their young. The large waxy buds are also an emergency food source for birds in the winter, providing calories when little other food is available such as after deep snows. Establishing cottonwoods is one of the best ways to increase biodiversity and should be included in as many restoration projects as possible
Cottonwoods grow very quickly, often more than 12 feet per year under good conditions, which can establish a good canopy cover in only a few years on damaged sites. They tolerate occasional flooding and can also survive drought surprisingly well even in their first year by going summer dormant when necessary. The fine roots grow deep in compacted soils, quickly building a nice forest loam from even the toughest soils. It is one of only a handful of species that we have seen that can penetrate and break up caliche hardpan layers by exploiting the tiniest of cracks and fissures. As the fine roots grow deeper they expand and widen the fissures, allowing for aeration underneath and paving the way for the roots of other species. The deep roots can pull up large amounts of nutrients from far down, making them available to other plants as the topsoil builds up. Cottonwoods also form relationships with free living nitrogen fixing bacteria, which is what allows for the rapid top growth. We use cottonwoods extensively as a biomass plant for mulch at our nursery and it is one of the most reliable chop and drop plants we grow.
Cottonwoods will resprout from the roots following fire, but they will also spread by the roots under most conditions. The roots spread great lengths from the tree and can damage sidewalks or pavement so these are generally not suitable for small garden plantings or near buildings.
Because these plants grow so quickly we primarily sell unrooted cuttings over the winter, potted plants typically reach 10-15 feet tall in their first year which makes the trees difficult to handle. Cuttings stuck in the field will typically root by early spring and grow up to 12 feet that summer.
Populus trichocarpa - Black Cottonwood in a mixed Fir forest displaying its gorgeous fall color
Populus trichocarpa - Hybrid Black Cottonwood showing the dark green pointed leaves
Populus trichocarpa - Hybrid Black Cottonwood - field rooted cuttings in their first year
Packing Plants For ShippingWe pack our plants depending on the needs of each species and size, most plants ship best with the roots packed in moist sawdust or bark fines but some species don't like root disturbance and are shipped in a soil-less growing media. Excess soil is washed from the roots in preparation for shipping (18-24" White Pines)  Plants are bundled together to fit in boxes  Bundles of plants are secured in long boxes. Plant Sizes 3 gallon Dawn Redwood  Standard quart shrub  Standard 14-18" multi-stem tree size  Standard deep plug pine tree Bamboo Plants Are Shipped In Their ContainersBamboo roots are not flexible and so plants have to be shipped in their containers. These plants are heavier and are shipped separately from bare root plants. Because they are potted they can handle longer transit times so can ship via UPS Ground instead of USPS Air Mail. Potted plants can also be shipped year-round.We regularly top our 1 gallon bamboo plants at 24-30 inches tall throughout the growing season. This results in dense, bushy foliage while allowing for economical shipping. From this size most running species will grow to 5-6 feet tall in the first spring and clumping species will usually grow to 4-5 feet tall.  1 gallon bamboo plants strapped in and ready to be sealed. Unpacking Bare Root PlantsYou will be sent tracking details as soon as your plants are shipped. Unpack your plants as quickly as possible after they are delivered. We use two types of boxes, side-sealing and top-sealing. For boxes that are taped along the whole length you can cut the tape on either side and remove the plant bundles by cutting the tape holding the bundle to the bottom. For boxes that are sealed on the top and bottom, it is easiet to open the bottom of the box (the shipping label is at the top) and pull the bundle of plants out straight out. Check that the box is empty as there can be a second bundle of plants stuck towards the top. A bundle of trees. What if I am not able to plant right away?You can usually leave the plants in their shipping container unopened for 1-2 days if there were no shipping delays and you have received your plants from late November through February. Plants shipped when it is warmer can't stay in their packages for as long.For longer term storage of plants you can pot them up or plant them in rows close together temporarily and then pull them out later in the spring to be planted again. This keeps the roots moist while allowing for air flow to the tops. The roots should have good contact with the soil to ensure they have access to adequate moisture. |
Size Availability
Out of season.
unrooted cutting - $1.00 each
Our main crop of most plants is available starting in late fall.
Additional batches of plugs and quarts are added throughout the year.
Many of our plants are propagated in limited quantities and can sell out quickly when posted, get on the notification list below so you don't miss out. Add your email to be notified as soon as we have them back in stock:
This does NOT subscribe your email to any mailing lists, our system will only send an inventory notification message.
Production notes: reliable production
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Red Panda Nursery