Cottonwood
Description
Any of several deciduous North American Poplar trees, such as Populus deltoides. Cottonwood trees grow fast and produce a fine-grain, uniform texture wood that works easily and stains well. However, the soft, pale color wood has a tendency to warp. Cottonwood is used for millwork, musical instruments, paneling, packing boxes, Paper pulp, and Excelsior.
- For cottonwood fiber identification, see http://cameo.mfa.org/wiki/Category:FRIL:_Eastern_Cottonwood
Synonyms and Related Terms
Populus deltoides; choupo do Missuri (Port.); eastern cottonwood; necklace poplar
Physical and Chemical Properties
- Height: Large tree (20-60 m) with trunk diameter (2.8 m)
- Bark: silvery white and smoothi with light fissures
- Leaves large, deltoid with flattened base and elongated tip (3-12 cm) with coarse teeth. The leaves have a shiny top and darker bottom along with a flat stem that allow them to shake and shimmer in the wind.
- Flowers: Long catkins (8-10 cm: purple:male, green:female) that produce numerous small seeds covered with a surround of cotton-like strands.
- Density = 25-35 ppcf
Resources and Citations
- The wood database: Cottonwood
- G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971
- F. H. Titmuss, Commercial Timbers of the World, The Technical Press Ltd., London, 1965
- Michael McCann, Artist Beware, Watson-Guptill Publications, New York City, 1979
- Hardwood Manufacturers Institute, Memphis Tenn.: air-dry weight = 24 pcf
- Edward Reich, Carlton J. Siegler, Consumer Goods: How to Know and Use Them, American Book Company, New York City, 1937
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Populus_deltoides (Accessed Oct. 2020)