We have recently published ‘Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions’: i.e. tropical and sub-tropical regions. We rely on regular donations to keep our free database going and help fund development of this and another book we are planning on food forest plants for Mediterranean climates. Please give what you can to keep PFAF properly funded. More >>>

Follow Us:

 

Populus heterophylla - L.

Common Name Swamp Cottonwood
Family Salicaceae
USDA hardiness Coming soon
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Found mainly on heavy waterlogged clay soils on the edges of swamps and bottom lands[43, 229].
Range Eastern N. America - Connecticut to Georgia, west to Louisiana, Ohio, Indiana and Arkansas.
Edibility Rating    (0 of 5)
Other Uses    (2 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (1 of 5)
Care (info)
Moist Soil Full sun
Populus heterophylla Swamp Cottonwood


USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. Vol. 1
Populus heterophylla Swamp Cottonwood
Robert H. Mohlenbrock. USDA NRCS. 1995. Northeast wetland flora: Field office guide to plant species. Northeast National Technical Center, Chester. Courtesy of USDA NRCS Wetland Science Institute

 

Translate this page:

Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of lolypop
Populus heterophylla is a deciduous Tree growing to 25 m (82ft 0in) at a fast rate. It is in flower in March, and the seeds ripen from April to May. The species is dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required). and is pollinated by Wind. The plant is not self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Plant Habitats

Woodland Garden Canopy;

Edible Uses

None known

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Anodyne  Antiinflammatory  Febrifuge

Although no specific mention has been seen for this species, the bark of most, if not all members of the genus contain salicin, a glycoside that probably decomposes into salicylic acid (aspirin) in the body[213, 238]. The bark is therefore anodyne, anti-inflammatory and febrifuge. It is used especially in treating rheumatism and fevers, and also to relieve the pain of menstrual cramps[238].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

The Bookshop: Edible Plant Books

Our Latest books on Perennial Plants For Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens in paperback or digital formats.

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
Edible Tropical Plants

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

More
Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
Edible Temperate Plants

Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

More
PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital media.
More Books

PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital formats. Browse the shop for more information.

Shop Now

Other Uses

Rooting hormone  Wood

An extract of the shoots can be used as a rooting hormone for all types of cuttings. It is extracted by soaking the chopped up shoots in cold water for a day[172]. Wood - soft, rather woolly in texture, without smell or taste, of low flammability, not durable, very resistant to abrasion[11, 46, 61, 82, 229]. It weighs 26lb per cubic foot[235]. A second-rate timber, it is used for lumber, boxes, crates and house interiors[11, 46, 61, 82, 229].

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Does well in a heavy cold damp soil[1]. Prefers a deep rich well-drained circumneutral soil, growing best in the south and east of Britain[11, 200]. Growth is much less on wet soils, on poor acid soils and on thin dry soils[11]. It does not do well in exposed upland sites[11]. It dislikes shade and is intolerant of root or branch competition[200]. A fast-growing but short-lived tree in the wild, it starts to produce seed from about 10 years old[229]. It does not appear to thrive in Britain[11]. Poplars have very extensive and aggressive root systems that can invade and damage drainage systems. Especially when grown on clay soils, they should not be planted within 12 metres of buildings since the root system can damage the building's foundations by drying out the soil[11]. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[200].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

image

The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

Shop Now

Plant Propagation

Seed - must be sown as soon as it is ripe in spring[113]. Poplar seed has an extremely short period of viability and needs to be sown within a few days of ripening[200]. Surface sow or just lightly cover the seed in trays in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the old frame. If sufficient growth is made, it might be possible to plant them out in late summer into their permanent positions, otherwise keep them in the cold frame until the following late spring and then plant them out. Most poplar species hybridize freely with each other, so the seed may not come true unless it is collected from the wild in areas with no other poplar species growing[11]. Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth, 20 - 40cm long, November/December in a sheltered outdoor bed or direct into their permanent positions. Very easy. Suckers in early spring[78].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

NORTHERN AMERICA: Canada (Ontario), United States (Connecticut, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, District of Columbia)

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Populus albaWhite PoplarTree20.0 3-9 FLMHNDM123
Populus angustifoliaNarrowleaf CottonwoodTree30.0 3-7 FLMHNM122
Populus 'Balsam Spire'Tacatricho 32Tree30.0 4-8 FLMHNM032
Populus balsamiferaBalsam Poplar, Black cottonwoodTree30.0 0-0 FLMHNM133
Populus ciliataHimalayan PoplarTree20.0 0-0 FLMHNM022
Populus deltoidesEastern Cottonwood, Plains cottonwood, Rio Grande cottonwood, Necklace PoplarTree30.0 3-9 FLMHNM224
Populus deltoides moniliferaPlains CottonwoodTree30.0 0-0 FLMHNM123
Populus deltoides wislizeniiRio Grande CottonwoodTree30.0 0-0 FLMHNM213
Populus euphratica Tree15.0 0-0 FLMHNMWe013
Populus fremontiiCottonwood, Fremont cottonwood, Fremont Poplar, Western CottonwoodTree25.0 2-9 FLMHNDM123
Populus grandidentataCanadian Aspen, Bigtooth aspenTree20.0 2-5 FLMHNM112
Populus hybridsHybrid poplarTree50.0 2-10 FLMHSNDM334
Populus maximowicziiDoronoki, Japanese poplarTree30.0 4-8 FLMHNM012
Populus nigraBlack Poplar, Lombardy poplarTree30.0 3-9 FLMHNM134
Populus pseudosimonii Tree20.0 0-0  LMHNM112
Populus sieboldiiJapanese AspenTree20.0 4-8 FLMHNM112
Populus simoniiSimon poplar, Chinese PoplarTree30.0 2-5 FLMHNM112
Populus tremulaAspen Poplar, European aspen, AspenTree18.0 2-5 FLMHSNMWe123
Populus tremuloidesAmerican Aspen - Poplar, Quaking aspenTree20.0 2-5 FLMHNDM133
Populus trichocarpaWestern Balsam Poplar, Black cottonwoodTree40.0 4-8 FLMHNM134
Populus x canadensisCanadian Poplar, Carolina PoplarTree40.0 4-9 FLMHNM013
Populus x canescensGrey PoplarTree30.0 4-9 FLMHNM012
Populus x jackiiBalm Of GileadTree30.0 0-0 FLMHNM032

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

L.

Botanical References

1143235

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

Add a comment

If you have important information about this plant that may help other users please add a comment or link below. Only comments or links that are felt to be directly relevant to a plant will be included. If you think a comment/link or information contained on this page is inaccurate or misleading we would welcome your feedback at [email protected]. If you have questions about a plant please use the Forum on this website as we do not have the resources to answer questions ourselves.

* Please note: the comments by website users are not necessarily those held by PFAF and may give misleading or inaccurate information.

To leave a comment please Register or login here All comments need to be approved so will not appear immediately.

Subject : Populus heterophylla  
© 2010, Plants For A Future. Plants For A Future is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Charity No. 1057719, Company No. 3204567.