Well, the tiny seeds are in the "cotton" that comes out from the mature catkin. If they're sufficiently mature, it should start to puff out in a couple of days as it begins to dry. If you see 'cotton' you should be good to go.

However, unless you found a particularly interesting parent plant, I wouldn't sweat it if this particular batch doesn't yield viable seeds. Just about any time now over the next few weeks to month, depending upon your location and climate, the cottonwood seeds should be flying like snow. There are neighborhoods here in my area of Michigan were it literally does look like it has snowed in June when the cottonwoods are dispersing their seeds to the wind. You should be able to find seeds easily in most regions I would think.

One of the worst trees ever...who cares what I think too.

You can grow them from cuttings also if you'd like to try it.

There are some monsters along the Mississippi River here in SW Wisconsin... These trees get really big.

Pshh... it is one of the few trees that one can plant, watch grow to maturity and get huge in a lifetime. I would (and did) go with a cottonless male clone for a spot about 100' from the house near a runoff drainage area. 4 years old and over 15' tall and about 8' wide. Only tree I have planted since we moved 3 years ago that actually casts dense usable shade.

John

I will only add that you should easily be able to find a volunteer seedling you can transplant. Just look in the cracks between any building's foundation and the cement sidewalk around it. Or any plant bed in the vicinity. Not exactly hard to find!

+oM

Oh how I love the cottonwood at our old house which we still own. It stands alone in a big field. I love it to death. If you have the room and don't have lots of neighbors, go with the ones that produce cotton - I love to see it floating around! It brings a smile to my face.

I agree with Krycek -- they are pretty trees.

At the risk of incurring collective wrath, no tree is, IMO, a 'junk' or 'weed' tree - they all have their uses at some place. A given species may not be someone's particular cup of tea, say boxelder in the eastern states, but in another environment it could be a Godsend, if that is one of the few species that could survive in that environment.

I have a big cottonwood at the back of my property -- planted it in 1988, and it's now approaching maturity. I find the bark and foliage pretty.

Are we talking about the disease ridden and often disfigured Populus deltoides?

This is the best one...

Liabilities

do not plant near sewers, septic tanks, drains or sidewalks
suckers
canker
short-lived
too many to name

I have a situation similar to some above. A wet area between 150 and 400 feet from the house. Looking forward to watching it grow. Plenty of beauties around the edges of farms here.

Oh whaas...lots of trees are "liabilities" but that doesn't stop them from being beautiful, valuable, or enjoyable. There isn't a perfect tree out there, although some on here seem to think there are.

What happens to people like me that love cottonwood, aspen, willow, etc.? They are valuable trees in their own right and if someone has the room for them (recognizing they can have problems), more power to them.

If a tree brings a smile to someone's face, what's to dislike about it? Cottonwoods are one of the most charming trees out there, even if they are liabilities.

"Snow in summer"

I've got over a dozen aspen in my yard. I think they're a most beautiful tree, especially in the fall. I am willing to put up with the suckers -- and, if I want more, its never a problem.

The leaves take forever to decay and the wind blows them far and wide, in addition to all the faults listed above. I have 10 acres and several ponds and I won't have one on the place. If I find the need to admire one, I'll just look in my neighbor's pasture.
Mike

denninmi, are you perhaps talking about Populus tremuloides? I've always referred to that one as quacking aspen and admire this one in the northwoods. Not nearly as problematic as Populus deltoides.

I'm only making this assumption since you mention the nice fall color. Populus deltoides has a dull ugly, brown/green/yellow fall color.

Anyone who plants or promotes Populus deltoides should be band from the site!lol!

"Populus deltoides has a dull ugly, brown/green/yellow fall color"

Whoa whoa whoa! Au contraire mon ami!! Just like many other species of trees, there are some lame duck fall color producers and some as bright yellow as any gingko. They are very noticable on I40 from Fort Smith to OKC and actually stand out more than just about any other tree when they peak. Wish I had some pictures of some of the golden beauties from the last 2 falls on my hard drive...

John

Part of the charm of this tree is often when you meet up with one, you're a good ways away from signs of civilization. It's already a good place to be, and I think I've seen a few with them perdy yeller colors, I's probably lost somewhere in Oklahoma again...

Mackel

I was lost in the Oklahoma City Arboretum a couple of years ago ....according to my wife. She had the police put an ABP out for me. There was an Arts and Craft show at the Arboretum and 6,000 people were there. My wife and the police couldn't find me for over five hours. Just when it was getting dark I asked a policeman where I could make a call (cell was dead and no phone booths any more) so my wife could come and get me. The cop asked me if my name was Mike. What the Heck?! They phoned my wife at the motel and she came and got me. I was never lost, but I felt like a lost six year old standing by their temporary headquarters waiting for Marilyn.
I sure enjoyed the day though!
Mike

While we're on the subject, how do you tell the difference between big-tooth aspen (populus grandidentata) and cottonwood (populus deltoides)? Their leaves look incredibly similar. How do you know which you have? Is there a trick?

I'm trying to figure out what was behind our old garage. I always thought it was populus grandidentata (it was a large stand, seemed like a clonal colony), very upright going. But now I'm not so sure.

The "teeth" on the edges of the leaves on the bigtooth aspen are just much more pronounced, more deeply cut in between. And, of course, aspen has that unique "flutter" about the leaf, hard to describe but once you watch the leaves in a breeze, you recognize how they move differently from the leaves of cottonwoods or other plants.

One of my regrets is that I wasn't able to rescue a bigtooth aspen from the field behind me when it was developed in the 1990s. I rescued a lot of plant species, including quaking aspen, but didn't get a bigtooth transplanted before the bulldozers came in. Another beautiful tree.

"Just like many other species of trees, there are some lame duck fall color producers and some as bright yellow as any gingko. "

Exactly. There are a few specimens in my area that have the clearest, most beautiful yellow coloring that you can spot for miles, and there is one in particular that consistently colors up a gorgeous harvest orange. It looks like a beacon in fall, a real landmark.

I understand disliking them, because most people don't live in an area where they are appropriate. Of COURSE they shouldn't be planted in a city. Hearing stuff like "don't plant near septic tanks or sidewalks" is frankly comical, because although I know that it happens, that isn't where these trees are meant to go. Which makes it all the more annoying to hear people say that they are nothing but trouble--> clearly you've only had experience with them in a limited capacity...planted where they shouldn't be planted! I live in SK, Canada, where the people are few and far between...they don't bother anyone, they're huge, they're beautiful, and contrary to some info that I've heard, they live a LONG TIME. The hyrbids, maybe no so much, but a real cottonwood will be standing as long as anything else that grows in our area.

I have never ever seen a hint, not even a slight hint of decent fall color on Populus deltoides around here.

There are 1,000s of them right in my general vicinity too. My neighbor has close to a 100 of them on his 2 acre lot. Couple more had their leaders snapped in the wind the other day. If you really want to show off your strength to someone just take a 3" caliper cottonwood and snap it with your bare hands. The brittle wood snaps with such ease.

I will make sure to take some pics for you this fall whaas! Not to change your mind about the tree or absolve any of the shortcomings cottonwood has, but to at least show you what they are capable of when it comes to fall color :)

John

Whaas - I know we are talking about the same tree..but I just don't understand the variation between your cottonwoods and ours! Ours are for the most part wild, not planted, so I have no idea if that is what makes the difference or what. For instance, I agree that as compared to some other trees, they do have weak wood and they lose branches more than other species. But the ones around here aren't nearly as frail as you describe unless the wood is dead and half-rotten.

I'm not doubting what you are saying, I'm just befuddled over the differences that we are describing within the same species.

Also Whaas, I'm not suprised if you dislike them on a 2 acre lot...that is not nearly enough room for them..and 100?! My goodness! If they planted them, what they heck were they thinking? And if they didn't plant them, why don't they have them cleared?

Yet another example of them being used in a spot they should never be in, and then people say they are terrible trees. There are many trees that fall into having a bad rep like this mainly because of misuse. Like weeping willows. Certainly, there are far more well behaved trees, but in the proper spot nothing can really compete.

Cottonwood sucks so bad it even blocks my view of the fireworks!lol!

I don't mind any tree growing as a native in the wild to tell you the truth. Although cottonwood is a terrible selection from an ornamental perspective in ANY landscape. I'd (gasp) plant a Bradford pear over cottonwood. At least its a 30' tree crumbling down versus a 80' tree.

Surely I was exaggerating but there are quite a few (too many to count though). They where all volunteers that where let go. I asked the neighbor if I could cut down two that where close to the lot line and he said "yeah no problem, they are terrible trees that fall apart". I was having the time of my life cutting them down.

Alright that is enough cottonwood hating for this season!
Jon, look forward to those pics. Up close leaf and all!

{{gwi:358934}}

Props to Bigtooth aspen though, my favorite Populus member. I love seeing clonal stands of them up above high road cuts in the northwoods. A very unique effect is also apparent when grandidentata are leafing out, with their unusual light gray-green coloration. Then there's the exquisite tan-brown trunks. Just great native trees. Ima get me some for my land some day.

+oM