Populus trichocarpa

The tallest of the Pacific Northwest hardwoods, this species can grow to nearly 150 feet tall, averaging four to five feet per year in moist, rich soils.  Common to wetlands and streambanks at low to middle elevations, it stores large amounts of water in its massive trunk.

The three to six inch long leaves are oval to lance shaped.  The twigs at the top of the tree form a V shape.  The upper branches provide habitat for Bald Eagles and Great Blue Herons near rivers.

The Black Cottonwood has a relatively short life-span and is susceptible to heart rot, inviting woodpeckers and chickadees.  Insects invade these trees, attracting birds such as flycatchers, kinglets, wrens and warblers.  It also provides food for beaver, deer and elk.

The unfolding leaf buds in spring emit a fragrant resin.  When the ovaries open in early summer, they produce abundant seeds with cotton-like hairs that fill the air.