Black Cottonwood: BC’s Water-Loving Giant
The Black Cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa) is one of British Columbia’s most important deciduous trees, thriving in wetlands, floodplains, and riverbanks where it stabilizes soil, cleans water, and provides habitat for countless species.
With its rapid growth, towering height, and fluffy cotton-like seeds, this tree is a defining species in BC’s riparian forests.
How to Recognize Black Cottonwood
- Leaves: Triangular or heart-shaped, glossy green on top, pale on the bottom.
- Bark: Light gray and smooth in young trees, becoming dark and deeply ridged with age.
- Size: Grows up to 50 meters (165 feet) tall, making it one of North America’s largest poplars.
Why Black Cottonwood is Important
- Prevents erosion, anchoring riverbanks with deep roots.
- Filters water, absorbing pollutants and improving water quality.
- Stores carbon, helping reduce greenhouse gases.
Economic and Cultural Uses
- Harvested for pulp and paper, due to its fast-growing softwood.
- Used in plywood and crates, as its wood is lightweight yet sturdy.
- Indigenous communities used its bark and resin for medicine.
Wildlife in Black Cottonwood Forests
- Beavers rely on it for food and dam construction.
- Deer, moose, and elk browse on its twigs and bark.
- Birds like eagles and herons nest in its high branches.
Fun Facts About Black Cottonwood
- It grows faster than most conifers, sometimes exceeding 1 meter (3 feet) per year.
- Its fluffy white seeds look like cotton, giving the tree its name.
- It produces a sweet, sticky resin, which bees use to make propolis (a natural antibacterial substance).
- Some of BC’s largest Black Cottonwoods have a trunk diameter of over 2 meters (6.5 feet).