Cottonwood
Cottonwood (Populus fremontii)
Large riparian tree with heart-shaped leaves, that blooms in early spring. The falling puffs resemble cotton floating in the air, giving the plant its name.
Ecology: Provides shade, nesting, and food for riparian wildlife.
Fast Facts
- Major riparian canopy tree that supplies large nest sites and perches for raptors and migratory songbirds; supports high bird diversity.
- Produces abundant insect food (leaf-feeding caterpillars) in spring and provides shade and large woody debris for aquatic habitat.
- Fast-growing colonizer of floodplains used extensively in riparian restoration to recover habitat lost to saltcedar and river regulation.
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