Eastern Cottonwood (Populus)

The eastern cottonwood tree typically grows up to 50-70 feet high with a furrowed ash-gray bark that runs straight up into the crown. It’s spread all across the cotton state, but mostly along riverbanks and large creeks.

The leaves of an eastern cottonwood plant are dentate, bright green oval-shaped, and pointed at the apex. While the leaves are thick, the bark is considerably soft that produces dark brown wood used for pulp and making crates. Popularly known as white wood, Eastern Poplar, or just cottonwood, eastern cottonwood trees prefer damp, fertile soil, which is why they are heavily concentrated in and around central Alabama, primarily in the Black Belt Praire.