Cottonwood, Fremont cottonwood, Fremont Poplar, Western Cottonwood
Populus fremontii
Family: Salicaceae
What it is like
Bloom Color: Yellow. Main Bloom Time: Early spring, Late spring, Mid spring. Form: Oval.
Populus fremontii is a deciduous Tree growing to 25 m (82ft 0in) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 7. It is in flower from March to April, and the seeds ripen in April. The species is dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required). and is pollinated by Wind. The plant is not self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.
Height (m): 25
Where it is found
Banks of streams and other moist places.
South-western N. America - California to Texas.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 1
Catkins - raw or cooked. Eaten as a snack. The young green seedpods have been chewed as a gum. Inner bark. There are no more details but inner bark is often dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickener in soups etc or added to cereals when making bread.
Inner bark: the bark that is found just beneath the tough outer bark of trees and shrubs.
Gum: can be chewed as a chewing gum or can often be used as a sweetener or thickening agent in foods.
Medicine
Rating: 2
The inner bark was consumed by various native North American Indian tribes in order to prevent scurvy. The bark of most, if not all members of the genus contain salicin, a glycoside that probably decomposes into salicylic acid (aspirin) in the body. The bark is therefore anodyne, anti-inflammatory and febrifuge. It is used especially in treating rheumatism and fevers, and also to relieve the pain of menstrual cramps. An infusion of the bark and leaves has been used to wet a cloth which is then tied around the head as a treatment for headaches. The infusion has also been used as a wash on cuts, bruises, wounds and insect stings. A poultice of the boiled bark and leaves has been used to treat swellings caused by muscle strain.
Anodyne: Relieves pain, it is milder than an analgesic.
Antiinflammatory: Reduces inflammation of joints, injuries etc.
Antiscorbutic: A plant rich in vitamin C that is used to counteract scurvy.
Febrifuge: Reduces fevers.
Other
Rating: 3
Strips of the inner bark have been used in garments. This report does not make clear if this was merely for ornament, or whether the bark had a functional use. An extract of the shoots can be used as a rooting hormone for all types of cuttings. It is extracted by soaking the chopped up shoots in cold water for a day. The young twigs are peeled and split then used in basket making. Wood - soft, weak, light, rather woolly in texture, without smell or taste, of low flammability, not durable, very resistant to abrasion. Used locally for fence posts, the trees are also frequently pollarded for fuel.
Basketry: Plant used in making baskets and other items such as chairs. Includes plants that are only used as an ornamental addition.
Fuel: Usually wood, plant materials that have been mentioned as being a good fuel.
Gum: Gums have a wide range of uses, especially as stabilizers, emulsifiers, thickening agents, adhesives etc.
Rooting hormone: Substances that can be used to promote the production of roots in plant cuttings.
Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.
How it is grown
Landscape Uses:Aggressive surface roots possible. An easily grown plant, it does well in a heavy cold damp soil. Prefers a deep rich well-drained circumneutral soil, growing best in the south and east of Britain. Tolerates extremely alkaline soils. Growth is much less on wet soils, on poor acid soils and on thin dry soils. It does not do well in exposed upland sites. It dislikes shade and is intolerant of root or branch competition. A fast-growing but short-lived species. Some forms of this species are tender in Britain. Poplars have very extensive and aggressive root systems that can invade and damage drainage systems. Especially when grown on clay soils, they should not be planted within 12 metres of buildings since the root system can damage the building's foundations by drying out the soil. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus. Special Features: North American native, Wetlands plant, Inconspicuous flowers or blooms.
Propagating it: Seed - must be sown as soon as it is ripe in spring. Poplar seed has an extremely short period of viability and needs to be sown within a few days of ripening. Surface sow or just lightly cover the seed in trays in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the old frame. If sufficient growth is made, it might be possible to plant them out in late summer into their permanent positions, otherwise keep them in the cold frame until the following late spring and then plant them out. Most poplar species hybridize freely with each other, so the seed may not come true unless it is collected from the wild in areas with no other poplar species growing. Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth, 20 - 40cm long, November/December in a sheltered outdoor bed or direct into their permanent positions. Very easy. Suckers in early spring.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Canopy;
Habit: Tree
Hardiness: 2-9
Growth: Fast
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Dry, moist