lanceleaf cottonwood (Populus x acuminata)

First place (tied) lanceleaf cottonwood in Timnath.

Species info:

Leaves: Alternate, simple, 1½–3 inches long, nearly as wide as long. Base distinctly heart-shaped (cordate), tip sharply pointed (acuminate), with finely serrated margins. Upper surface dark green, lower surface paler with tufts of hair in vein axils.

Leaf Surface: Smooth and glossy above, lighter beneath.

Bark: Gray-brown, becoming ridged and furrowed with age.

Flowers: Small, fragrant, creamy-white to pale yellow, borne in clusters of 5–7 in pendulous cymes. Each cluster subtended by a pale greenish-yellow, leaflike bract.

Fruit: Small nutlets (~⅕ inch), thin-shelled and smooth (without ribs), maturing to tan or brown in late summer.

Botanical: Populus x acuminata

Family: Salicaceae

Mature Height: Up to 60 feet

Canopy Spread: 20–25 feet

Foliage Type: Deciduous

Tree Shape: Upright, elliptical crown with a single straight trunk; more slender and upright limbs than Plains Cottonwood.

Growth Rate: Moderate to fast under moist conditions

Fall Color: Yellow

Water Use: High; prefers consistent soil moisture and riparian environments

Hardiness: Zones 3–8

Soil Preference: Moist, well-drained soils; thrives along waterways or areas of runoff accumulation

Wildlife Value: Provides cover and nesting habitat for birds; seeds consumed by small mammals

Pests/Pathogens: Similar to other cottonwoods; generally healthy in natural riparian setting

Planting Recommendations: Recommended for most of the Front Range for large sites

Information Sources:

• Wendy McCartney, Colorado State Forest Service

• Fossil Creek Current, November 2005

• JoAn Bjarko, Timnath cottonwood ties for state champ honors

• Stuart Wier, The Native Trees of the Southern Rocky Mountains: From Yellowstone to Santa Fe, 1998, 1999, 2002