I have only seen one P. deltoides for sale online and that's 'Souxland' Where have you found these for sale? Just out of curiousity, being that you're in zone 7a and can grow pretty much any tree, why cottonwood? Why not instead something like Tulip poplar, sycamore, london plane, catalpa, oaks or any number of other interesting fast growing trees with big leaves?

I've seen Populus deltoides 'Noreaster' and Populus deltoides 'Robusta'for sale online. And I was wondering if anybody knew of any online nursery etc. of where I might be able to get a better cultivar than 'Souxland'. I do have many other trees around the area such as willows, oaks, yellow poplars, maples, pecans, hickories, walnuts, sugarberry, and London plane tree. The reason I want to plant one is because I just like everything about them that makes them unusually and unique such as there simmering deltoid leafs, flat leaf petioles, very rapid large growth, gold fall color, and the surf sound they make in the wind. The only thing I donÂt like about them is their disease and pest problems.

"Populus deltoides 'Robusta'"

This one is actually a clone of the hybrid Poplulus à canadensis; parentage P. deltoides (f) à P. nigra 'Plantierensis' (m), raised 1895 in France. It is very disease resistant, and is one of the most important poplar clones for timber production in Europe. Very fast growing (2m/year when young; 33m in 23 years), with a straight trunk and a symmetrical, fairly narrow crown. Also fairly good autumn colour. Not sure how long-lived it would be in southern US summer heat, though.

Resin

But treeguy you said in my other post that you saw one in your area with "dull yellow color".

Anyway if you find one other than souxland online, let me know because I need some ultra fast growers for a treeclub project.

'Noreaster' and 'Siouxland' are also deltoides x nigra hybrids. Although 'Siouxland' was marketed as a pure deltoides, it has the botanical characteristics of a hybrid.

If you want a pure deltoides, collect cuttings from a local male clone. Many of the clones you have listed were selected in the plains and won't be as adapated as local clones. What you want is a male southern cottonwood (ssp. deltoides) and there are none sold commercially. I have some rooted cuttings from a local male clone here in north Florida, but it might not be hardy in zone 7....

Thanks everybody
Yep, a dull yellow to golden color is like the one I saw quirkyquercus kind of like a yellow color with a very small touch of orange.

That's what I've been wondering If 'Siouxland' was a hybrid or not, I thought it was just a male Populus deltoides that was crossed with other Populus deltoides that show leaf rust resistance properties. I really wanted just a true Populus deltoides male tree and not a Hybrid. Cuttings from a local champion male tree would be very great if I could locate one but that would likely be very hard.

treeguy123, you mention some problems the cottonwoods decline from, but no mention about the hazards of the tree's brittle wood has been brought up: a brittleness, which causes otherwise unexplained, major branch failure.

Do you intend to plant it in a more sheltered spot, so that prevailing storm winds will be buffered? Or is there simply not much concern for when the branches grow to the point of being such brittle and heavy hard wood; along with growing up to 12 or more inches in diameter?

I planted a yellowwood tree in such a protected spot, and at a point where any future major branch failure should not cause too much damage. I do wonder though, if I made the right choice to plant that beautiful tree. Earlier, I pruned some lower branches on the tree, and was amazed at how easily the lopper cut through the wood; not much different than if those branches were a stick of cold butter. People have told me that as the tree ages its wood will harden and be reasonably sound. Still, I am extra careful to only allow the strongest jointing lateral branches to grow on this Yellowwood tree.

Treeguy:

You have my sympathy. I Love eastern cottonwoods also. It is amazing to me how so many people miss the glories of this tree--Have they no eyes to see with? No ears to hear with?

I grew up in a house in NJ that had a huge cottonwood outside my window--the glories of this tree defy my powers of description. The sound: on hot summer nights with hardly a breeze stirring, the leaves of this tree on their specially constructed vertically flat petioles allowed those leases to flutter so gently in almost no breeze--what a wonderful sound--almost like a gentle rain in the trees!

And sight: just look at one of these trees on a hot summer afternoon in the hazy distance, again in a slight breeze--the wonderful living shimmer of it all! Sit under one when there leaves are all in motion--now in some ways I am a child of the "sixties" (I was a little old at the time) and know a little about the psychedelic craze and the strobe lights and other kinds of visual things people experimented with. Well, there was nothing, and is nothing like the dancing light under a cotton wood when the breeze is right!

I could go on and on. And these trees get a bad rap for being weak--not really true (I posted about this earlier in detail) and a short life--again, not really true. They can make 70 to 100 years, or even more. That can work for me.

And I was interested to learn from salicaceae that my "noreaster" is a hybrid. I had noticed the smaller leaves but I did not take the clue. For the best effects the larger leaves really help.

I got some cuttings from another cottonwood in my area, but now I am wondering if that was not also a hybrid. What a nuisance--more people need to open their eyes and ears to the glories of this kind of tree and make it available. AAARRrruugh!

If I were you in the current situation of no male cultivar being available, make a point of identifying a male tree in your area and get cuttings. If you don't have one identified yet, next year do it, and get the cuttings the next. But it may be possible to root one after the leaves come out. If you want to do this, I can share my ideas about how it might be done--or I am sure you could come up with a couple of things to try. It may work well. Anyway, it is worth the wait if that is what you have to do to have the process of identifying and then cloning your tree.

--Spruce

I planted a few small 'Robusta' along our driveway in '98 and they're now about 30'-35' tall. The fall color is a warm yellow and while not outstanding, its better than many. I've really not had any problems with them and they seem to be able to handle a bit of drought as well. Will not win any beauty contests, but they do have their use.

{{gwi:361081}}

Like many of you, I too have been a fan of poplars in general. However, I have a story of disappointment with the Siouxland Cottonwoods I planted at my home. After 5 years, all but 2 are dying probably from a canker problem. Many dead branches have appeared amongst the ones still alive and I'm very disappointed. I like tough, well adapted trees. The Norway Maple comes to mind first. Of the 5 Siouxlands I have, only one is doing well- big downer. Unless there is a rough tough alternative out there, I will dig up and transplant a wild cottonwood from some vacant land and roll the dice that way. 5-6 years and I'm looking at the expense of removing 80% of my stock. And I don't live in a swamp or bog. So, buyer beware of the over hype of the Siouxland hybrid... Maybe chance a wild guy instead. Be careful of the short-lived "hybrid" poplar, too. cross between deltoides and nigra.

It is neat to see the names from a decade ago in this thread.

Back to topic cottonwoods are one of the dominant natives around me. They seem reasonably long lived, big trees from when I first started driving are still alive.

Do they have more problems in yards? Is this canker brought on by wèed eatsrs or pruning with unclean tools?

Siouxland is not a pure cottonwood. It is a hybrid with P. nigra from Europe. Unfortunately it was widely sold and promoted as a "male, cottonless Eastern cottonwood selected by South Dakota State University". However, it is likely just one of the older European hybrids given a new name. The straight species is rarely affected by cankers. If given reasonable moisture, they can be expected to live 50-80 years in most situations, at least.