''Populus heterophylla'', also known as downy poplar, swamp poplar and swamp cottonwood, is a large deciduous poplar belonging to the ''Populus'' genus of the family ''

Salicaceae The Salicaceae is the willow family of flowering plants. The traditional family (Salicaceae ''sensu stricto'') included the willows, poplar, aspen, and cottonwoods. Genetic studies summarized by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG) have greatly ...

''. This species can grow on sites that have too much water for other native poplars."Populus heterophyfla L". ''srs.fs.usda.gov''. Retrieved 2020-04-2

/ref> On the

IUCN Red List The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biolo ...

this species is listed as "least concern".

Description

Swamp poplar can reach a height 50 to 100 ft at maturity. The trunk and branches are a light to medium grey, with the trunk being coarsely furrowed. The leaves are alternate deciduous that are 4-6 inches long and 3-4 inches across. Mature leaves are medium to dark green on their upper surface and pale green on the lower surface. Petioles are 2-3 inches long and tend to be between pale green or pale yellow. This species is pollinated by wind. This species flowers in April and fruits May-June.

Habitat

Location

This species is indigenous to warm, temperate regions in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and th ...

, although nowhere is it considered abundant. It is found in wet bottomland forests. Swamp cottonwood can be found along the east coast of the United States from Connecticut to Georgia, as well as northwestern Florida and west to Louisiana. It also grows in the Mississippi valley, Ohio and southern Michigan.

Soils and topography

''Populus heterophylla'' is typically found on heavy clays, but can be found on the edges of swamps (not within). Ideal growth will happen in areas where the water table is near the surface for all but 2-3 months a year.

Climate

Humid climate is common throughout the range of the swamp poplar. Rainfall varies for this species based on how far north it is found. When found in Indiana the average annual rainfall is about 35 in (890 cm); as opposed to when found in Louisiana average annual rainfall is 59 in (1500 mm). Yearly average temperatures range in the North and South from 50ºF to 70ºF respectively.

Special uses

There are no special uses or commercial value for this species due to the similarity to ''Populus deltoides'', which grows faster and easier.

References

External links

USDA Forest Service: Silvics of Trees of North America. ''Populus heterophylla'' L. Swamp Cottonwood

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service: Plant Profiles. ''Populus heterophylla'' L. swamp cottonwood
{{Taxonbar, from=Q3297849 heterophylla Trees of the Eastern United States Trees of the Southeastern United States Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus